The Little Colonel went dashing around the house, from one room to another, calling out the news in the greatest excitement.
"Have you heard it?
Papa Jack's comin'! Grandfathah is goin' to stay several weeks longah, but Papa Jack's comin' on the noon train to-day!" Some one else came on that noon train, some one whom Doctor Fuller met in his buggy and took immediately up to Locust.

It was the oculist who had been there before.

Lloyd was so excited over her father's arrival that she scarcely noticed they were in the house, and she never knew when they gravely made their examination of Betty's eyes and as gravely went away again.
But late that afternoon, Eugenia and her father, driving up from the station, were surprised to see a cloud of dust whirling rapidly down the road toward them.

As they came nearer they saw that Tarbaby was in the centre of it, and on his bare back perched the Little Colonel, the hot June sun beating down on her bare head and red face.

As she came within calling distance, she waved her arms frantically to stop the carriage, and shrieked out, at the top of her voice: "Papa Jack's home, and, oh, Eugenia, _Betty can see_!" The carriage stopped, and Eugenia leaned out eagerly.
"I couldn't wait for you to get home," cried the Little Colonel.