"Finished off! I should say so!" cried Will, joining in Tom's laughter.

"And to think that you were a Pelham,--one of Agnes's wonderful Pelhams
all the time," put in Tilly, still with an air of bewilderment.

"And am now," laughed Peggy. "Oh, Tilly, you are such a dear!"

"One of Agnes's wonderful Pelhams!" shouted Tom. "Guess she won't be in
a hurry to set up a claim to 'em now!" and Tom burst out again in wild
chuckles of hilarity.

"And I never saw her, and I don't believe she ever met one of us
before," cried Peggy.

"She told Amy that she didn't know the Pelhams yet, but that her Aunt
Ann did, and her aunt was coming next month and would introduce her to
them when they arrived," said Tilly, with a demure smile.

"Well, she'll probably like my sister Isabel's Skye terrier, with its
fine name of Prince, much better than she does my poor little plebeian
doggie, with its vulgar name of Pete," remarked Peggy, her eyes
twinkling with fun.

"Oh, Peggy, to think of your hearing all that talk about the dog and
everything."

"And everything? I should say so!" cried Will, starting up and looking
rather red as he recalled his own words.

"Yes, and everything,--all about the dogs and the difference between the