said with fervour.

"Hark at mother!" said the cousin called Annie. "Why, she's never set
eyes on him before!"

"I should '_ave_ known 'im anywhere," said Mrs. Larkins, "for Lizzie's
child. You've got her eyes! It's a Resemblance! And as for _never
seeing 'im_-- I've _dandled_ him, Miss Imperence. I've dandled him."

"You couldn't dandle him now, Ma!" Miss Annie remarked with a shriek
of laughter.

All the sisters laughed at that. "The things you say, Annie!" said
Miriam, and for a time the room was full of mirth.

Mr. Polly felt it incumbent upon him to say something. "_My_ dandling
days are over," he said.

The reception of this remark would have convinced a far more modest
character than Mr. Polly that it was extremely witty.

Mr. Polly followed it up by another one almost equally good. "My turn
to dandle," he said, with a sly look at his aunt, and convulsed
everyone.

"Not me," said Mrs. Larkins, taking his point, "_thank_ you," and
achieved a climax.

It was queer, but they seemed to be easy people to get on with anyhow.
They were still picking little ripples and giggles of mirth from the