By the time Uncle Horace’s visit drew near its close they had all decided that they liked him tremendously, even if he did disapprove of their clothes and avert his eyes in horror from the pale green and pink and orchid silk panties on the line Monday mornings. They thought, too, that Uncle Horace liked them, though they couldn’t feel sure of it. Pat was sure, however, that he must approve of Silver Bush. Everything went smoothly until the very last day…and it was really dreadful. In the first place Sid upset Judy’s bowl of breakfast pancake batter on the floor and Winnie’s baby crawled into it. Of course Uncle Horace had to appear at the very worst moment before the baby could be even picked up, and probably thought that was how they amused babies at Silver Bush. Then Rae put an unopened can of peas on the stove to heat for dinner. The can exploded with a bang, the kitchen was full of steam and particles of peas, and Uncle Horace got a burn on the cheek where the can struck him. To crown all, Rae dared him to go to Silverbridge in the car with her after supper and Uncle Horace, though he had never been in a car, vowed no girl should stump him and got in. Nobody knew what went wrong…Rae was considered a good driver…but the car, instead of going down the lane dashed through the paling fence, struck the church barn, and finished up against a tree. No harm was done except a bent bumper and Rae and Uncle Horace proceeded on their way. Uncle Horace did not seem disturbed. He said when he came home he had supposed it was just Rae’s way of starting and he thought he’d get a car of his own when he went back to the coast.

“Sure and some av ye must have seen a fairy, wid all the bad luck we’ve had today,” gasped Judy when he was safely off to bed.

“Today simply hasn’t happened. I cut it out of the week,” said Pat ruefully. “After all our efforts to make a good impression! But did you ever see anything funnier than his expression when that can hit him?”

“Yes…his expression when I sideswiped the church barn,” said Rae.

They both shrieked with laughter.

“I am afraid Uncle Horace will think we are all terrible and you in particular, Rae.”

But Uncle Horace did not think so. That evening he told Long Alec he wanted to pay the expenses of Rae’s year at Queen’s.