"Because half of her would be a fish," said Russ, laughing. "And you
would have to have all your house under water, Mr. Armatage, or the
mermaid could not get up and down stairs."

"I declare, Charley!" exclaimed the visitor, "these young ones of yours
are certainly blessed with great imaginations. I don't believe our
children ever thought of such things."

The next day the party went out to the Meiggs Plantation. It was a
two-hours' ride on a branch railroad and a shorter and swifter ride in
an automobile over the "jounciest" road the children had ever ridden on,
for part of the way led through a swamp and logs were laid down side by
side to keep the road, as Mr. Armatage laughingly said, from sinking
quite out of sight.

But the land on which the Armatage home stood was high and dry. It was a
beautiful grassy knoll, acres in extent, and shaded by wide-armed trees
which had scarcely lost any leaves it seemed to the little Bunkers,
though this was winter. On the wide, white-pillared veranda a very
handsome lady and two little girls and a little boy stood to receive the
party.

The children did not come forward to greet the visitors, or even their
father, until the latter spoke to them. Mr. and Mrs. Bunker were quite
sure by the actions of Phillis and Alice and Frane, Junior, that they
were not granted the freedom of speech and action that their little ones
enjoyed. Mother Bunker pitied those children from the start!

[Illustration: THE SIX LITTLE BUNKERS WERE AMAZED AT THE NUMBER OF