"I dare say, I dare say, Cousin Eunice," assented Mr. King carelessly,
"but I consider all you say as a compliment."

"Compliment?" she repeated disdainfully, and added with a rising note of
anger, forgetting herself, "there's no fool like an old fool."

"So I think," said Mr. King in the same tone as before. "Children, come
into my room now, and close the door." And Cousin Eunice was left to air
further opinions to her own ear.

But when Mother Pepper and Mrs. Whitney did come home from the meeting,
oh! what a time there was. They all fell upon her, as soon as the door
opened, and the whole air was filled with "little brown house." "May we-
-may we?" "A whole week." "Two days, Mamsie, do say yes," and Phronsie's
glad little chirp "Grandpapa wants to go, he does!" ending every other
exclamation.

"What a babel," cried Mrs. Pepper, her black eyes roving over the
excited group. "Now what is it all about? Baby, you tell mother first."

Phronsie was not too big to jump into the comfortable lap, and while her
fingers played with the bonnet strings, she laid the whole delightful
plan open, the others hanging over them in ill-suppressed excitement.

"Well, you see, Mamsie," she began deliberately.

"Oh! you are so slow, Phronsie," exclaimed Polly, "do hurry."

"Let her take her own time," said Mr. King, "go on, child."