their way home, with a due sense of the grandeur of her city life.

After many kind parting salutations, and warm invitations from Mrs.
Ford to come soon and spend an afternoon at the farm, the party took
leave; one division proceeding homeward by the winding road, lying
white in the full moonlight, as the fields were now wet with dew,
while the others took the shortest cut to the river, where the boat
was lying. Very little was said during most of the way, except some
subdued exclamations of delight as they passed out from the deep
shadow of the overhanging rocks into the broad river, which glittered
in the moonlight like a sheet of dazzling silver, roughened by the
slightest ripple, and past point after point of luxuriant foliage,
looking dream-like and unreal in the light that silvered their
glistening leaves.

As they neared the village, Lucy suddenly recollected their unexpected
guest. "I wonder how Nelly got home! Did she stay long after we left,
Alick?" she said.

"No; she said her mother would be angry if she were out late, so she
set off at a run."

"Lucy," said Stella, "I wonder how you can have anything to do with
such a vagabond-looking child! I'm sure she was watching to see
whether she could pick up anything; and she looked just like a gipsy."

"Oh, Stella! how can you be so suspicious?" exclaimed Lucy
indignantly. "I don't believe Nelly would do any such thing! No wonder
the poor child was watching us while we were at tea; didn't you see
how hungry she was?"