CHAPTER 16.
THE BLACK SPANIELS Gregory, who was looking out of the door and meditating an escape from so much dampness, and a conversation on the whole matter with Kink, exclaimed suddenly, "Hello, I guess this is your mother." "Yes, it is," cried Patricia, standing up and waving her handkerchief to a lady seated in a milk-cart, which was being driven after them at a tremendous pace.

"I wondered who she'd get to bring her here, and it's young Daniel Wilson.

Tell your man to stop, please." Mrs.Mordan, whom Gregory thought both a nice and a pretty lady, leapt out of the milk-cart and ran up the steps of the Slowcoach, and mother and daughter hugged each other for quite two minutes, while Gregory looked at young Daniel Wilson, and Patricia began to cry afresh--this time because she was happy.
Mrs.Mordan was happy too.

The grief she had felt for the accident and the injury to poor Snelgrove, whom she had left in agony by the road, passed away when she found her little daughter unhurt.
She sat holding Patricia's hand, and asked Hester a number of questions, and gave her a number of thanks all together.
Gregory meanwhile had got out, and was asking young Daniel Wilson how ponies are shot; and what he did about getting milk to the station when the snow was two feet thick; and if the cows often kicked the buckets over.
"It's not us," said Hester, "it's Kink who was so useful." "Who is Kink ?" Mrs.Mordan asked.
"Our gardener," said Hester, "but he drives the caravan for us;" and gradually she told the whole Slowcoach story.
By this time they were at Ashton, and, after giving instructions about looking after the ponies,--sending for a veterinary surgeon and so forth,--Mrs.Mordan showed Kink the way to Aunt May's house, which they reached just before two.
Aunt May was standing by the gate?
with five black spaniels about her, looking anxiously down the road--a tall lady with grey hair and top-boots, and a little whip in her hand.
"No," she said, as Kink stopped at the gate, "I don't want any chairs or kettles mended, or, indeed, anything from you at all." Kink, however, said nothing, but went to the back of the caravan and helped Mrs.Mordan and Patricia down.
"My precious Lina!" exclaimed Aunt May, when she saw them.

"Whatever has happened ?" "I'll tell you about it indoors," said Mrs.Mordan.