laugh, which the mocking-bird, not to be outdone, caught up and echoed.
It was a merry, merry meeting.

"You dee papa bringed you--didn't him, Dotty?" said Katie, flying at her
cousin with the feather duster, as soon as Grace had taken away the
umbrella, and pointing her remarks with the end of the handle.

"You's Uncle Eddard's baby--that's what is it."

"O, you darling Flyaway!" said Dotty, "if you _wouldn't_ stick that
handle right _into_ my eyes!"

"I's going to give you sumpin!" returned Katie, putting her hand in her
pocket, and producing a very soft orange, which had been used for a
football. "It's a ollinge. _You_ can eat um, 'cause I gived um to you."

"Thank you, O, thank you. Flyaway: how glad I am to see you! You look
just the same, and no different."

"O, no, I'm is growin' homely," replied the baby, cheerfully, "velly
homely; Hollis said so."

By the time Dotty's crushed hat was off, and she had made herself ready
for tea, trying to hide three of the six grease-spots with her hands,
Horace appeared with a little birch switch across his shoulder, strung
with fish. The fish were few and small; but Horace was just as tired, he
said, as if he had caught a whale. He did not say he was glad to see his
young cousin; but joy shone all over his face.

"We'll have times--won't we, little Topknot?" said he, taking Katie up