recent a joy to them all ever to be far beyond the mind of each of
them. Wythie, Rob, and Prue ran over to their Mardy and twined their
arms around her, all three, and hugged her close.
"We have it safe, and we have one another," whispered sweet Oswyth.
"It's the loveliest spring of all my life," said Prue, solemnly. "And
in the winter I didn't dare to think of summer again."
"Behold a group of Grateful Greys," said Rob, dashing away a tiny tear
from her bright eyes before anyone could suspect it of being there,
and laughing blithely. "Aren't we perfect geese about our little grey
house? We couldn't love it more if it were an old feudal, ancestral
castle--though it would be bigger."
"Three cheers for the little grey house, and three cheers for the
Grateful Greys!" cried Bruce, with an inspiration.
"For the house where we've had such glorious times, and for the people
we love best of all the world," added Basil, with a half-glance toward
Wythie.
"Amendment carried!" cried Bruce, with an open look at Rob.
The open windows bore the cheers out to Farmer Flinders in the garden,
and he stopped work to listen, leaning on his hoe, and smiling to
himself with unwonted benignity.
"Well, they're havin' happy days in the little grey house at last," he
said aloud. "And I declare to mercy, they deserve 'em! There's no doubt
they all do deserve 'em."
* * * * * *
Transcriber's note:
page 129 span changed to spun (Pilgrim mothers wove and spun)
page 260 Cousn changed to Cousin (whether Cousin Peace)