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T was quite an event in the Murray family to have such people as the
Fairfaxes come to supper, and perhaps it was not strange that great
preparations were being made; but you might have thought that Mrs.
Murray expected Mrs. Fairfax to go straight through her cottage on a
tour of critical inspection. The whole house was put in _apple-pie_
order--whatever that may mean--from the cool, clean-smelling cellar, to
the little triangular attic, redolent of thyme and sage and other dried
things hanging from the rafters. Not that there was ever much disorder
in that neat little household; but the fact that the Fairfaxes were
coming seemed to lend an extra touch of thoroughness to everything that
Mrs. Murray did.
Soon after the children's arrival Sister Julia knocked at the door, and
was warmly welcomed. She busied herself right away with unpacking the
trunks, which had been sent down that morning, while Regie sat at the
pretty curtained window of the room that was to be his, telling Sister
Julia where to put his own particular treasures. Already he was fond of
that little window, from which he could look straight out to sea.
Nan was busy in the kitchen, cutting out the thinnest of little round
cookies from dough that her mother had mixed. Some of them were already
in the oven, and sending such a delicious savoury smell up into Regie's
room!
Harry was active, making things comfortable for Ned and Hereward in the
barn.
[Illustration: 0043]
It was a very happy afternoon all round, though withal a trifle sad too;
for there is always something in the atmosphere more or less depressing
on the eve of any decided change, no matter how satisfactorily
everything may have been arranged for everybody. At six o'clock Mr. and
Mrs. Fairfax came down the beach, and at half-past six supper was on
the table. Such an inviting little supper-table, with its snowy cloth,
polished plated service, and shining glass lamp in the centre, to say
nothing of innumerable good things to eat, including a dish heaped high
with a delicious “floating island,” such as few besides Mrs. Murray know
how to make. The canary, in his cage over the plants, was singing away
for dear life, as if he wanted to make the occasion just as merry as
possible; and Hereward and Ned, who must have sniffed the buttered toast
and broiled mackerel from outside, scratched away at the door trying to
gain admission. Then they bounded to the window, and planting their
paws upon the sill, peered in with a most beseeching look on their
intelligent faces.