voice. He swallowed that piece of potato so fast that it nearly choked him, and when he had finally gotten it out of the way, he said: "Please 'scuse me, Mamma, Papa!" and, slipping from his chair, was off in a jiffy to meet his little chum, Polly.

"Oh, Teddy, come up in our tree!" cried Polly, as Teddy's curly brown head pushed through the low gap in the dividing hedge fence. "Come quick, quick, quick! I've got the goodest news in the world to tell you 'bout!" She danced about on her little toes while speaking, and, Teddy's plump body having speedily followed his head, he left the fence, and with his little companion ran for the old apple-tree which—as you remember I told you in the first book—was the "consultation office" of our dear little couple whenever they had any especially private conversation with each other.

So up into the stout branches of the old tree they clambered, and settled comfortably down in a safe fork of limbs amid a thicket of green leaves, and then, after Teddy had followed his usual loving habit of kissing Polly on her soft little cheek, and receiving the same sweet greeting from her, she proceeded to tell her secret.

"I'd ask you to guess it first," she said, "but oh, Teddy Terry, you never could in the world! It's this: You 'n' I are going to Europe with my Papa 'n' Mamma! There! what do you think of that, Teddy Terry? Oh, isn't it the very bestest news we could have? Aren't you s'prised most to pieces?"

Teddy's brown eyes opened so wide that it is a wonder they did not stretch out of shape. Surprised? well, indeed he was, and when Polly had told him more about the matter he gave the loudest whoop-la! he could, and then a funny thing happened—he slid off that tree and disappeared in the wood-shed near by, and—I don't know surely—but I think it likely he went in there to hide the tears that came to his eyes, the tears of joy which Polly had had, you know, only Teddy didn't want her to see him turn "cry-baby," and so he had run quickly away. But Polly soon found him there, and together they went to see his Mother, and then he learned more fully all about the pleasure in store for him, and that Mamma and Papa had consented to let him go because they had been called unexpectedly away a long distance to see a sick relative, and it made them glad to know that their little son would be safe and happy with Polly and her Mother and Father during that time. Afterwards, when Teddy and Polly were again together, they talked the coming trip over as children do, and were greatly excited and delighted.

"I promised Mamma solermy, oh, jus' as solermy as could be, that I'd be the goodest behaving boy your Mamma ever saw!" said Teddy, when he and Polly, tired of jumping about and shouting "whoop!" at last sat down on the grass to talk it over, "and—and—she said she wasn't 'fraid to trus' me at all."

"Course not," responded Polly; "you're the best that ever could be to keep promises, and if you forget 'bout 'em, it's jus' 'cause you couldn't truly help it."

The more they talked over the wonderful new surprise, the more excited the dear little couple were growing, and the number of times Teddy put soft kisses on his Polly's cheek (one of his sweet little ways of expressing his joy, at any time, over pleasures they were to share together) I cannot tell, but you may be sure he did not limit his kisses in the least, dear loving little chum as he was!

CHAPTER III.

"Hurrah, hurrah, Polly! This is our starting day! Polly, why don't you halloo?"

"I'm going to halloo," replied Polly: "listen!" And her voice rang out in a clear shout which reached even down to the gate.

"Once more," cried Teddy, and this time his voice joined hers, and Mamma, coming to the hall door, looked out to see what was going on.

"Teddy's Mamma had packed his little trunk."

"It's 'cause we're so glad, Mamma dearie," replied Polly to the question asked, "and it's our starting day, you know." She was perched upon the piazza rail nearest the piazza of Teddy's house, and Teddy was to have breakfast with her presently. Just now he was having his jacket well brushed by Bridget, as he stood on his own piazza, and he was so impatient to get over to Polly that he could hardly stand still long enough for the brushing.

"Goin' inter the dirty wudshed just to see 'bout that tricircle," said Bridget, grumbling as she brushed, "an' s'ilin' this bran' new suit yer Ma bought for yer trav'lin'! I told yer I'd put it safe away!"

"Well, I wanted to see if you hadn't only thought you'd put it safe," explained Teddy, who had considered it a very manly thing to investigate his affairs himself, and had consequently gotten his new clothes into disgrace.

"There now, yer clane and swate as a rose, an' it's ould Bridgie who'll be missin' the trouble of yersel', an' for sure'll be wantin' some more of that same!" said the good woman, giving him a parting hug and pat before he was off to join Polly. At half-past nine the carriage was to come for them and their trunks, and they would catch the ten a. m. train for New York, and say good-bye to their pretty village home for a long time. It was truly a very exciting morning, and Polly's mood for rhyming was so strong that she finally accomplished this wonderful couplet, which Teddy admired as much as she did herself. It ran this way:—

So Ted caught the rhyme, and joined in the singing of it, and if it was sung once, it certainly was sung twenty times, till at last Papa put his head out of the window and asked "if they would mind giving him and the neighbors something new?"

Breakfast over, the little couple sat down on the sofa in the hall and watched the clock, and at last the little hammer inside lifted itself and struck against the bell waiting beside it, and lo and behold! there came the carriage, driving up the road, and through the big gate, and up to the door. Then the trunks were put on the rack behind (while Teddy watched closely to see that the man did not forget to go and get the "T. T." little trunk).

Bridget and Ann were on hand to say the last good-byes, Mamma gave a few last directions, and entered the carriage, Papa poked the small couple in, topsy-turvy style, got in himself, called out good-bye to the servants, who were wiping their eyes with the corners of their aprons, and—the long-anticipated "start" had taken place.

Polly was radiant. She hugged Papa, squeezed Mamma, threw her arms around Teddy, and kissed him over and over (getting as many kisses