Part 32 (1/2)

”I think it would look like a patchwork quilt,” said Nesta

”Father, why do people mark their land out into such funny little bits?”

So spoke the children, used to wide tracts of land without boundaries, hundreds of acres without fence or railing--such country as England boasts of in miniature only on its wildest moors

The tere speechless and almost suffocated with excitement when the train at last ran into a little country station, and Mr

Orban said briskly,--

”Here we are!”

”There they are!” exclaimed Mrs Orban, with a little sob in her voice

”Who? who?” yelled Peter, dashi+ng frorandpapa,” answered Mrs Orban

”Oh, where?” said Peter, as the train stopped The children knew Bob Cochrane's grandfather and grandrannyish” type, rather bent, rather deaf, and always referred to as ”the old people” Trixy invariably rushed at them when they came, and called therannyish” or cosy-looking on the platforentleht have been the Queen, so dignified, so stately was she They were the sort of people the twins had read of but never seen

A hush fell over the children as they scrae after their randparents were ready to notice them Then they each received a kiss and a handshake whichwould be randmother and call theh the drive in the old-fashi+oned waggonette the sense of unfarew as the children stared--the twins furtively, Peter openly--at Mr and Mrs Chase

It seemed to the twins such a queer arrival, and so different to anything they had expected, that they could scarcely believe it was real ”Why,” thought Nesta, ”the Cochranes o to see thehts were too confused for description

The conversation was funny and jerky, and just the sort of things strangers say to each other Mrs Chase hoped they were not very tired, and that they had had a nice journey And Mr Chase said it was a hotter summer than there had been for the last ten years, and so on

”Oh dear,” thought Eustace wearily, as they drove into the park, ”how different it would have been if Aunt Dorothy had been here!”

But still there was the place to be interested in, and when his mother said, ”This is home, Eustace,” he roused himself, and looked about him

Even a Colonial child, accusto such a place as this, full of fine old trees spreading over the short cropped turf The park was hilly, and swept away to right and left towards thick woods

Then, as the carriage reached a bend and caray, ht, the children's hearts did thrill with pride This was so better than their own slenderly-built, iron-roofed house in Queensland

”There are Herbert and Brenda waiting for us,” said Mrs Chase, ”but I don't see nurse I have got you a char woman as nurse for Becky and Peter You can't be tied down to looking after the children, you knoant you to be free to enjoy yourself”

Peter started as if he had been shot

”Me have a nurse!” he exclailanced quickly at theirextraordinary Andafter the children” When had it ever been a tie to e idea had never occurred to any of them before, and all in their own separate ways resented it

Mr Chase looked at Peter in surprise

”When I was your age,” he said gravely, ”I had as given ot to think about your mother's wants first,” said Mrs

Chase, ”and she deserves a holiday after all these years”