"Good news for us, Pussy," he said. "Now you're going to have some one
to play with."

"Another Bob?" asked Mary Jane.

"Another fiddlesticks!" laughed Grandfather. "Haven't you enough
animal friends as it is? What would you do with more? No, sir! This
is a real playmate."

"Who is she?" asked Mary Jane.

"_She_!" laughed Grandfather, "is your cousin Margaret's boy John--or
rather, she's your mother's cousin. They live over in Benset, you
know, Pussy. They promised that if you came this summer, they'd let
John come over for a visit so you two could play."

"Oh, goody!" cried Mary Jane happily, "how big is he?"

"About as big as you are, I expect," said Grandfather thoughtfully,
"but I can't really say because I haven't seen him for a long time.
But you'll know all about him to-morrow."

After that Grandfather and Grandmother fixed the little chickens as
quickly as ever they could, and then Grandfather went out to clean up
his car and Grandmother and Mary Jane hurried off to the kitchen to see
about the baking of good things to eat, for Cousin Margaret was to
bring Tom herself and would stay part of a day before going back.

How Mary Jane did love the work and bustle! Grandmother made a big jar