"And so are we!" said Ann Maria.
"We have been there two days," said Mrs. Peterkin.
"And so have we, at the 'Old Farm,' just at the end of the beach,"
said Ann Maria.
"Our farm is old enough," said Solomon John.
"Whereabouts are you?" asked Mr. Sylvester.
Elizabeth Eliza pointed to the road they had come.
A smile came over Mr. Sylvester's face; he knew the country well.
"You mean the farm-house behind the hill, at the end of the road?"
he asked.
The Peterkins all nodded affirmatively.
Ann Maria could not restrain herself, as broad smiles came over
the faces of all the party.
"Why, that is the Poor-house!" she exclaimed.
"The town farm," Mr. Sylvester explained, deprecatingly.
The Peterkins were silent for a while. The Sylvesters tried not to
laugh.
"There certainly were some disagreeable old men and women
there!" said Elizabeth Eliza, at last.
"But we have surely been made very comfortable," Mrs. Peterkin
declared.
"A very simple mistake," said Mr. Sylvester, continuing his
amusement. "Your trunks arrived all right at the 'Old Farm,' two
days ago."
"Let us go back directly," said Elizabeth Eliza.
"As directly as our horse will allow," said Agamemnon.
Mr. Sylvester helped them into the wagon. "Your rooms are
awaiting you," he said. "Why not come with us?"
"We want to find Mr. Peterkin before we do anything else," said
Mrs. Peterkin.
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