Surprised, indeed, was the former Mrs. Dick.  She was on her way from garden to kitchen when the procession of cars came into view, and, her overflowing basket in hand, she halted on the side lawn until the party should pass by.  A bunch of automobiles did not appear every day on the Tenney Farm road.  Instead of going past, however, the big car ahead steered straight for her, and she recognized her friends!  Down went her basket, and she skipped over the grass with the agility of a girl of fifteen.

“How do you do—­Miss Sterling and Polly—­and all of you!  Well, I am astonished!—­And if there aren’t Miss Twining and Mrs. Bonnyman—­why, are you all here?”

“Pretty nearly,” answered Polly, who had jumped from the car and was clasping the speaker’s hand.

Mrs. Tenney was soon surrounded by her Home associates and was so overwhelmed by the suddenness of the call that she almost forgot to invite them into the house.

“Oh, we can’t stay!” declared Mrs. Albright.  “We are just out for a ride, and those of us in the rear cars were about as surprised as you were.  We’d no idea that Colonel Gresham was headed for your place—­we didn’t know you lived here till we saw you!”

“Dear people!” broke in Miss Sterling, “where are our manners?  I’ll confess, I forgot!  Mrs. Tenney,” with twinkling eyes she extended her hand, “I wish you every possible joy for all the days and years to come!”

Amid much laughter more good wishes followed, until somebody remembered that the morning was slipping away, and they were far from home.

“Well, say, why can’t you all come out here sometime and spend the day?  ’T won’t make a mite of difference when.  We always have enough to eat, and I am generally right here.  I’d love dearly to have you.  Pile ’em all in, if you can!  Sit in each other’s laps—­any way to get ’em here!  They’re going to keep up the rides, aren’t they?”

An instant’s silence was broken by Polly.  “Yes, we are!” she promised.  “Colonel Gresham and father are going to let us have the cars until we’re able to walk ten miles on a stretch!”

This sally was greeted by a shout, and the party climbed into the cars and were off, good-byes mingling with the noise of the motors.

“Anybody getting tired?” asked Colonel Gresham, as they swept into the village of Clare.

None would admit fatigue, and on whirled the cars, leaving the handful of houses behind.  Presently they entered the broad street of an old town, where houses with gambrel roofs and quaint porches neighbored in quiet dignity with towered mansions and verandaed bungalows.  Colonel Gresham drew up his car at a little shop, and he and David disappeared through the doorway.  They soon came back With their hands full of ice-cream cones, which they distributed and returned for more.

“Isn’t this cream lovely!” beamed Leonora to the back seat of the third car.