"Come, Ellen," said Alice, "get your bonnet; I am going up the mountain to see Mrs. Vawse, and your aunt has given leave for you to go with me. Wrap yourself up well, for it is not warm."
Without waiting for a word of answer, Ellen joyfully ran off.
"You have chosen rather an ugly day for your walk, Miss Alice."
"Can't expect pretty days in December, Miss Fortune. I am only too happy it doesn't storm; it will by to-morrow, I think. But I have learned not to mind weathers."
"Yes, I know you have," said Miss Fortune. "You'll stop up on the mountain till supper-time, I guess won't you?"
"Oh, yes; I shall want something to fortify me before coming home after such a long tramp. You see I have brought a basket along. I thought it safest to take a loaf of bread with me, for no one can tell what may be in Mrs. Vawse's cupboard, and to lose our supper is not a thing to be thought of."
"Well, have you looked out for butter, too? for you'll find none where you're going. I don't know how the old lady lives up there, but it's without butter, I reckon."
"I have taken care of that, too, thank you, Miss Fortune. You see I'm a far-sighted creature."
"Ellen," said her aunt, as Ellen now, cloaked and hooded, came in, "go into the buttery and fetch out one of them pumpkin pies to put in Miss Alice's basket."
"Thank you, Miss Fortune," said Alice, smiling; "I shall tell Mrs. Vawse who it comes from. Now, my dear, let's be off; we have a long walk before us."
Ellen was quite ready to be off. But no sooner had she opened the outer shed door than her voice was heard in astonishment.
"A cat! What cat is this? Miss Alice! look here! here's the Captain I do believe."
"Here is the Captain, indeed," said Alice. "Oh, pussy, pussy, what have you come for?"
Pussy walked up to his mistress, and stroking himself and his great tail against her dress, seemed to say that he had come for her sake, and that it made no difference to him where she was going.
"He was sitting as gravely as possible," said Ellen, "on the stone just outside the door, waiting for the door to be opened. How could he have come here?"
"Why, he has followed me," said Alice; "he often does; but I came quick, and I thought I had left him at home to-day. This is too long an expedition for him. Kitty, I wish you had stayed at home."