bless me, children, I thought you were playing on the piano."

"We were," said Polly, hurrying around to the side of the table, her
face quite rosy now, "but we didn't know--" and she stopped short,
unable to find another word.

"--that you felt badly," finished Jasper. "Oh, father, we didn't know
that you'd got bad news." He laid his hand as he spoke on the pile of
tumbled-up letters.

"Bad news!" ejaculated old Mr. King, in perplexity, and looking from
one to the other.

"No, we didn't," repeated Polly, clasping her hands. "Dear Grandpapa,
we truly didn't, or we wouldn't have kept on playing all this time."

Mr. King put back his head and laughed long and loud, as he hadn't done
for many a day, his ill humour dropping off in the midst of it. "The
letters are all right," he said, wiping his eyes, "never had better
news. It was an impertinent fellow I met out there, that's all."

"Father, who has dared--" began Jasper, with flashing eyes.

"Don't you worry, my boy; it's all right, the fellow got his quietus;
besides, he wasn't worth minding," said Mr. King, carelessly. "Why,
here is your mother," turning to Polly. "Now then, Mrs. Fisher, what is
it; for I see by your eye some plan is on the carpet."

"Yes, there is," said Mrs. Fisher, coming in with a smile, "the doctor
is going to take a day off."