Uncle Roger lived in town, quite a distance from the home of the Three
Happy Children. When they walked, Marmaduke's short legs took one
whole hour to reach it; Jehosophat's, forty-five minutes; though the
Toyman's long shanks could cover the ground in fifteen. But then he
could go ever so fast. However, they usually rode, and horses can
always go faster than men. Even Old Methusaleh could trot there in
twelve, and he was spavined and a little wind-broke, while Teddy and
Hal, who were young and frisky, could get there as quick as a wink.

On this particular day Uncle Roger and Aunt Mehitable had a family
party. It was a fine one, you may be sure, but we are not going to
tell you about it, when something even more interesting happened that
night.

At half-past eight the last horn sounded and the party was over.
Mother and Hepzebiah climbed in the surrey, and, with them, two
great-aunts, Sophronisba and Abigail. Aunt Phrony weighed more than
three hundred pounds, but Aunt Abby only a hundred; and they were
planning to visit the White House With the Green Blinds by the Side of
the Road--"for a week," they said, but the boys heard Father whisper
to Mother, as he piled their baggage under the tailboard,--"From the
size of those bags it looks like a year and a day." The boys wondered
what that extra day could ever be for--probably to move all that
baggage.

Now Teddy the Buckskin Horse was hitched to the surrey; and in the
shafts of the buggy stood Hal the Red Roan. And that night the boys
particularly wanted to ride behind Teddy. They liked to watch the