this family," she continued with an offensive accent on _this_.

"Let's hurry up, I'm hot," said the chief mourner.

So they went down and buried the boxes, singing "Billy Boy" as a
requiem. Bose watched their departure with interest, and dug up both
boxes without delay.

Bobby and Nan were invited to stay to lunch, and they accepted with
cheerful alacrity.

"I asked mother, for fear you'd ask me if I could stay, and she said yes
indeed I _could_, and she'd be glad to have me," said Nan. Bobby yelled
his request over the fence, and was told he could stay too.

They had strawberry jam, hot biscuit, fried chicken, and little frosted
spice cakes, for which Mandy was famous.

"Just supposing your mother and mine had said no, about this luncheon,"
said Nan to Bobby. "I never could have gotten over the loss of these
cakes."

"You've eaten four. I'm glad Mandy made a good many," said Beth calmly.

"Why Beth!" said her mother horrified.

"Yessum, she has," continued Beth. "I've passed them four times, and she
took one every time. I've had five!" she concluded.

In the afternoon the postman brought them a letter from their Cousin