"How did you know they - they were here?" she inquired after a
pause.

"I was directed to a tree with 'stickie-out' branches," I answered.

"Oh, that Imp!" she exclaimed, and stamped her foot again.

"Do you know, I've grown quite attached to that nephew of mine
already?" I said.

"He's not a nephew of yours," cried Lisbeth quite hotly.

"Not legally, perhaps; that is where you might be of such assistance
to us Lisbeth. A boy with only an aunt here and there is unbalanced,
so to speak; be requires the stronger influence of an uncle. Not,"
I continued hastily, "that I would depreciate aunts - by the way, he
has but one, I believe?" Lisbeth nodded coldly.

"Of course," I nodded; "and very lucky in that one - extremely
fortunate. Now, years ago, when I was a boy, I had three, and all
of them blanks, so to speak. I mean none of them ever read to me out
of the history book, or helped me to sail boats, or paddled and lost
their - No, mine used to lecture me about my hair and nails, I
remember, and glare at me over the big tea urn until I choked into
my teacup. A truly desolate childhood mine. I had no big-fisted
uncle to thump me persuasively when I needed it; had fortune granted
me one I might have been a very different man, Lisbeth. You behold
in me a horrible example of what one may become whose boyhood has
been denuded of uncles."