48 The Story of the Hlamiltons.

should take Grace over to Widdrington, a
little village about six miles from the Grange,
to call on some old friends of the Hamiltons,
who had repeatedly asked them to ride over
and take an early tea, and the visit had been
long anticipated with great pleasure by the
children. Grace, as the eldest, was to go on
this occasion, and Edith on a future day,
and they intended to start about four o'clock ;
meantime, Grace, as before stated, was busily
occupied, when her mamma came into the
room.
 "Well, my love," said she, taking a chair,
and surveying the scattered contents of many
little boxes and bags, not to mention whole
drawers full of other things turned out at
random over the bed and floor, "you have
got a fine mess ; what are you about? "
 "Yes," answered Grace, smiling and sigh-
ing at the same time, "isn't it a confusion?
I am going to tidy up all my places, and see
if I can't keep them a little neater; but I am
almost tired of it already, and it is so warm."
And she threw herself on the bed.
 "You are going to Widdrington, with Gil-
bert, this afternoon, are you not ?"
 "Yes; at four o'clock."
 "Ah, I thought I heard him ordering the