As flowers were scarce, on either post stood a rosy
little girl clapping her hands, while out from the thicket of red and
yellow boughs, which made a grand bouquet in the lantern frame, came
Ben's head and shoulders, as he waved his grandest flag with its gold
paper "Welcome Home!" on a blue ground.
"Isn't it beautiful!" cried Miss Celia, throwing kisses to the children,
shaking hands with her maids, and glancing brightly at the stranger who
was keeping Sanch quiet.
"Most people adorn their gate-posts with stone balls, vases, or
griffins; your living images are a great improvement, love, especially
the happy boy in the middle," said Mr. George, eying Ben with interest,
as he nearly tumbled overboard, top-heavy with his banner.
"You must finish what I have only begun," answered Miss Celia, adding
gayly, as Sancho broke loose and came to offer both his paw and his
congratulations, "Sanch, introduce your master, that I may thank him for
coming back in time to save my old house."
"If I'd saved a dozen it wouldn't have half paid for all you've done for
my boy, ma'am," answered Mr. Brown, bursting out from behind the gate
quite red with gratitude and pleasure.
"I loved to do it, so please remember that this is still his home till
you make one for him. Thank God, he is no longer fatherless!" and Miss
Celia's sweet face said even more than her words, as the white hand
cordially shook the brown one with a burn across the back.
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