"Never you fear," said old Mr. King, quite comfortable now in the
camp-chair one of the sailors had brought in response to a request from
Jasper; "that child knows very well by this time, I should imagine,
what noise is."

But after a little, the edge of their curiosity having been worn off,
the small group began to get restive, and to clamour and pull at their
mother for want of something better to do.

"O dear me!" said Phronsie, in distress.

"Dear, dear!" echoed Polly, vainly trying to induce the child next to
the baby to get into her lap; "something must be done. Oh, don't you
want to hear about a funny cat, children? I'm going to tell them about
Grandma Bascom's, Jasper," she said, seeing the piteous look in
Phronsie's eyes.

"Yes, we do," said one of the boys, as spokesman, and he solemnly
bobbed his tow head, whereat all the children then bobbed theirs.

"Sit down, then," said Polly, socially making way for them, "all of you
in a circle, and I'll tell you of that very funny cat." So the whole
bunch of tow-headed children sat down in a ring, and solemnly folded
their hands in their laps. Jasper threw himself down where he could
edge himself in. Old Mr. King leaned back and surveyed them with great
satisfaction. So Polly launched out in her gayest mood, and the big
blue eyes in the round faces before her widened, and the mouths flew
open, showing the white teeth; and the stolid mother leaned forward,
and her eyes and mouth looked just like those of her children, only