It was a rough ride, the narrow down-hill road turning abruptly more than once; then came a short cut across country through seldom-used lanes, with a field to cross before reaching the broad mill road.

At first, Victor was disposed to repent his sudden yielding; disposed to display that repentance very actively. And then Victor realized that the hand on the bridle rein was firm and steady—the hand of the master; and that his rider, if only a girl, knew how to ride.

And all the way, above the hurry and excitement, above her anxiety for Alec, one thought rang triumphantly through Blue Bonnet’s mind—she was not afraid.

Dr. Clark, gathering up the reins, preparatory to leaving Nesbit’s, saw the hurrying horse and waited. Ten chances to one, he was wanted.

“Well!” he exclaimed, as Blue Bonnet drew up beside the gig, “any of you girls come a cropper?”

“It’s Alec, Dr. Clark!” Slipping out of the saddle, Blue Bonnet told her errand. “I’ll go back162 with you,” she added. “Victor’s had pretty hard service this afternoon; I’ll leave him here for some one to look after him, and take him home by and by.”

“Well, Miss Elizabeth, you surely can ride!” the doctor said, as Blue Bonnet climbed in beside him; and he marvelled over the sudden lighting up of her blue eyes.

Kitty was watching anxiously for them, “Alec seems some better, papa,” she said; “I am glad you’ve come.”

Alec was lying before the fire, his head resting on an impromptu pillow made of the girls’ jackets. He smiled deprecatingly, at sight of the doctor. “It’s too bad, sir, to have brought you ’way up here. I’d have been all right presently.”

“Nice retired little spot you chose to do this in,” Dr. Clark said, his hand on Alec’s pulse. “Suppose you’d been alone, young man? Kitty, isn’t there a spring about here?” the doctor took out his medicine case.

“Where’s Blue Bonnet?” Alec asked.

“I’m here,” the girl answered. She was sitting back of him, at one corner of the fireplace.

“Did Victor go—well?”

“Magnificently.”

Alec tried to raise himself. “Not just yet,” the doctor told him. He stood a moment, looking down at the group. “Sarah, I’m going to leave you and163 Elizabeth here with Alec; I’ll drive round by the General’s, and have the carriage sent up—it’ll be easier than the gig. Debby and Kitty can go back with me. I’ll stop at your place, Elizabeth, and at the parsonage.”

Sarah followed the doctor to the gig. “Is Alec all right now?” she asked.

“He’s a good deal better; just keep him quiet.”

Sarah went back to the cabin. Blue Bonnet had piled on fresh sticks and dried moss, and the little place was warm and bright.

“It’s a real adventure, isn’t it?” she said, as they listened to Nannie picking her careful way down the rough, hillside road.

“I bet you two are hungry,” Alec answered.

“Being a little hungry is part of the fun,” Blue Bonnet declared; “it’s like being besieged, or cast on a desert island.”

“With the comforting certainty of being rescued,” Sarah added.

“I reckon Aunt Lucinda’s wondering what mischief I’m up to now,” Blue Bonnet laughed; “I was to be in before dark without fail.”

“Where’s Victor?” Alec asked suddenly.

“I left him at Nesbit’s; Jim’s going to take him home after a while,” Blue Bonnet answered. She leaned forward, reading the unspoken question in Alec’s eyes. “Everything’s all right,” she said earnestly.

164 “Wasn’t it good, Blue Bonnet, that Victor let you ride him, and that you weren’t afraid?” Sarah said.

Blue Bonnet threw a handful of dried cones on the fire. “I think Victor really enjoyed that ride—I know I did.”

The talk died down; Alec seemed drowsy, and the other two were anxious not to disturb him. Once Sarah asked in a whisper, “Blue Bonnet, what are you thinking about?”

Blue Bonnet’s eyes were on the fire, seeing pictures there in the flickering lights that Sarah could only guess at. “Different things,” she answered slowly.

“They must be pleasant thoughts.”

“They are. Sarah, did you ever have a wish—a very special wish—come true?”

“I don’t know,” Sarah said thoughtfully; “I try not to wish for things that can’t come true.”

“There’s the carriage, Sarah.” Blue Bonnet jumped up.

A moment or so later, they heard it draw up before the cabin; the next instant, General Trent stood in the low doorway, shading his eyes from the glare of the fire.

“Grandfather!” Alec exclaimed, “you shouldn’t have come, sir!”

“What in the world have you been up to, Alec?” the General asked. Lifting the boy, he carried him165 out to the carriage, in spite of Alec’s protestations that he was quite able to walk.

Norah had sent a plentiful supply of pillows and shawls, and Alec was made warm and comfortable on the back seat, with Sarah beside him to see that he kept his manifold wrappings on. “I’ll never, never do it again,” he declared. “Sarah, I simply won’t have another pillow near me.”

Blue Bonnet was in front with the General. Once down the stony, winding road and out on the broad, level mill road, the latter turned to her, laying a hand on her loosely clasped ones.

“You’ve put me under a big obligation to-day, Miss Elizabeth,” he said. “Upon my word, I wish I’d been there to see that ride.”

“I’ve only been trying to pay my debts a little, General,” the girl answered; “Alec’s been mighty good to me—lots of times. And besides, I—oh, I am glad I went.”

“Which doesn’t in the least alter what I have just said, Miss Elizabeth.”

Supper had been over for some time when Blue Bonnet reached home; but Miss Lucinda had arranged a little round table for her by the sitting-room fire, where she supped quite in state.

“And you rode Victor!” Aunt Lucinda said. Dr. Clark’s few hurried words of explanation and praise had sent a thrill of pride through Miss Clyde. “My dear, suppose he had thrown you!”

166 “But he didn’t, Aunt Lucinda; he behaved beautifully, after the first. And he did go—it was riding!”

And when, presently, Miss Clyde had gone over to inquire about Alec, Blue Bonnet came to sit in her favorite place, the hearth-rug, her head on her grandmother’s knee. “Grandmother,” she said softly, “I’m very—happy.”

Mrs. Clyde smoothed back the tumbled hair with a hand that trembled a little. “And I, too, dear—though possibly from a different reason. I am very glad I didn’t know about that ride at the time, Blue Bonnet.”

“Grandmother, there’s some use now trying to make myself fit to go back—I’m not afraid any more. I don’t think I ever shall be—again. I was,—when Sarah asked me to go,—horribly afraid. Then Victor wouldn’t let me mount, and I forgot everything else but my determination to make him. And then, oh, Grandmother, just when it was the hardest,—after we were off, I mean, and Victor was acting—rather lively,—it suddenly came over me that I wasn’t in the least afraid.”

“I am very glad, dear. Do you remember wanting to do something ‘very particular’ for Alec?”

“But Grandmother, this wasn’t anything! Kitty would have gone if I hadn’t.”

“Kitty would have had to walk, dear, and you167 were only just in time to catch the doctor. In such cases, the sooner help comes the better.”

For a moment Blue Bonnet did not answer. When she did speak, it was to ask, “Grandmother, can it be arranged? I should like to have a saddle-horse now.”

“I think it can, dear.”

“General Trent said something about a mare belonging to Mr. Darrel. I’ve seen her; she is a beauty—such a match for Victor.”

“Must it be a match for Victor?”

Blue Bonnet laughed. “I shouldn’t like it to be a match for Kitty’s Black Pete.”

“Well, we’ll see about it the first of the week,” Mrs. Clyde promised; “now, I think the best thing for you to do is to go to bed.”

“I’m not one bit sleepy,” Blue Bonnet answered,—“only sort of queer and shivery.”

At which Mrs. Clyde hurried her off to bed at once, coming herself to see that she was well tucked in, and to bring her a nice warm drink.

The next morning, it was a flushed and hoarse Blue Bonnet who looked up as her grandmother came in to see how she was. Mrs. Clyde decided that she must stay in bed until after breakfast, at least.

Breakfast in bed was a new experience for Blue Bonnet; and when Aunt Lucinda brought up the tray, with its pretty, sprigged individual breakfast168 service, that had been her mother’s, Blue Bonnet thought being an invalid very delightful.

The more so, as after breakfast she was allowed to come down to the sitting-room. She found Mrs. Clyde alone, Aunt Lucinda having gone to church.

The weather had changed during the night; to-day it was gray and lowering, with a promise of rain in the damp wind sweeping the scattered leaves up drive and over lawn.

Blue Bonnet curled herself up in a big chair at one side of the glowing fire, with a favorite book. In her deep-red dressing-gown, and pretty, fur-trimmed red slippers, she made a vivid spot of color in the somber room. And Mrs. Clyde, looking up from her own book more than once, wondered how she was ever to bear the parting with this second Elizabeth.

“I wonder how Alec is, Grandmother?” Blue Bonnet said, glancing up. “Don’t you think I might go over for just a few minutes this afternoon?”

“I would rather that you didn’t go out to-day, dear; probably your aunt will bring word when she comes home.”

And Miss Clyde did bring word that Alec was much better; but, like Blue Bonnet, kept at home.

“Did you see Solomon, Aunt Lucinda?” Blue Bonnet asked.

“He was down at the gate watching when I came from church.”

169 “I suppose he wonders where I am,” Blue Bonnet said longingly; “I haven’t said good morning to him, yet.”

Miss Lucinda went away to take off her hat and coat. She came back soon, behind her a little wriggling brown dog, who was all over Blue Bonnet in a moment, licking her hands and all of her face he could reach.

“Solomon, you darling!” then Blue Bonnet looked at her aunt. “Aunt Lucinda, did you tell him he might come?”

Miss Clyde smiled. “Well,” she said slowly, “Solomon has improved a good deal lately; it seems as if he were entitled to a few extra privileges. As for Solomon’s mistress, I am quite sure she is—after yesterday afternoon.”

“Solomon, do you hear?” Blue Bonnet bent to pat Solomon, who by now was sitting sedately on the hearth-rug, looking about the room with approving eyes. “You’re promoted, Solomon, and it’s up to you, sir, not to get demoted. It’s a terrible disgrace, Solomon, to be demoted.”

By the next day the rain had come; and Blue Bonnet, though much better, was kept at home from school. At first, the prospect of a long, idle day was delightful, the only drawback being that it must be passed indoors; but before noontime came, Blue Bonnet was actually wishing that she might go to school.

170 “Honestly, I’m all right, Grandmother,” she coaxed; “at home, I never stay in on account of rain.”

“Not before to-morrow morning, dear,” Mrs. Clyde answered. “If you are as much better then, you shall go.”

Blue Bonnet stirred impatiently. “I—I just hate having to stay home from school!” she declared.

Miss Clyde looked up from her sewing. “Blue Bonnet, suppose you make out a classified list of all the things you really do hate.”

Blue Bonnet colored. “I don’t believe it would be a very long one,” she said, after a moment.

“Nor I,” her aunt answered.

“I wish I could get word to the girls, maybe some of them would come up after school.”

“I think,” Mrs. Clyde said, “it is a case where mental telepathy will prove quite adequate.”

She was right; the six other members of the “We are Seven’s” appeared in a body, as soon after school as possible.

“Well, Blue Bonnet Ashe,” Kitty said, “why weren’t you at school?”

“I couldn’t come.”

“We missed you a lot,” Debby assured her.

“And the ‘rankin’ officer’ didn’t have to read the riot act nearly as much as usual—not more than once, for a fact!” Kitty added.

171 “Whom did she read it to that once?” Blue Bonnet asked.

“To Kitty,” Ruth answered, “Kitty got a precious raking-over.”

“It was very ungrateful in her,” Kitty declared; “I was only trying to keep her from missing Blue Bonnet too much.”

They gathered about the fire in the back parlor, talking and laughing, their voices sending pleasant echoes through the old house.

Presently Delia appeared with hot chocolate, and the little frosted cakes, the recipe for which was a Clyde secret.

“Here be luxury!” Kitty cried. “Blue Bonnet, do you have these cakes all the time?”

“Not for breakfast—as a rule.”

“Alec wasn’t at school, either,” Sarah said; “but he’s a great deal better.”

“Oh, Blue Bonnet!” Amanda leaned forward eagerly; “wasn’t it awful riding Victor?”

“See here, Blue Bonnet Ashe,” Kitty broke in excitedly; “I simply can’t stand it another moment.”

“But you seem to be sitting down,” Blue Bonnet said.

“I’ve got to know why—when you could ride—and ride like that—you wouldn’t.”

“It doesn’t strike me as such a very necessary piece of knowledge,” Blue Bonnet answered.

172 “Now you’re hedging—I feel it in your voice!”

Blue Bonnet’s color rose. “I was.”

“Kitty,” Debby protested, “how can you!”

Kitty laughed mischievously. “Look here, Debby, you go play in your own back yard, that’s a good girl.”

“And you haven’t told Blue Bonnet your idea,” Susy put in.

“Has she one?” Blue Bonnet asked politely.

“You go play with Debby, Susy,” Kitty advised. “Now, Blue Bonnet, I’m waiting to hear your reason.............