Mary Jane was glad to know she hadn't.

"That's exactly what I'm doing, my dear," laughed Grandfather. "I'm
finding something."

"Are you really, Grandfather," cried Mary Jane happily. "Let's go do
it now! I'm all through my dessert; may I please be excused,
Grandmother?" and Mary Jane prepared to slip down from her chair.

"No use," said Grandfather with a shake of his head. "It isn't ready
yet."

"Not ready?" echoed Mary Jane. "Does it have to be ready before we do
it?"

"It surely does," laughed Grandfather, "That's the reason we haven't
done it before."

"But I think I'll like it without being ready," suggested Mary Jane as
she went around to his chair. "Let's see if I wouldn't."

"No, sir, you can't tease me that way, Pussy," laughed Grandfather.
"You'll have to wait."

"Is it alive?" asked Mary Jane, who by this time was fairly bubbling
over with curiosity.

"Well, yes," replied Grandfather and he chuckled to himself in high
glee.

"Is it big as me?" asked Mary Jane.

"One way 'tis and another way 'tisn't," said Grandfather.

"Oh, dear!" sighed Mary Jane, "that's the kind I never can guess!"
Then she thought carefully for a real good question. "Is it brown or
gray?"

Grandfather leaned back and laughed. When he finally could answer he
said, "It's partly grayish brown and some day it may be all brown for
a' I know."

"Then it isn't a mouse and it isn't a lamb," said Mary Jane positively,
"and that's all I can think of now."

"That's a good thing," said Grandmother, "for there's the postman and I
surely expect a letter from your mother to-day."

One of the things that Mary Jane most loved to do was to run out front
when the rural mail carrier came along in his little wagon and watch
him put the mail in the box out in front of her grandfather's house.
Usually they spied him way down the road just about the time they were
through dinner and Mary Jane would run out and watch him. The first
time he saw her he handed the mail out to her and that disappointed her
greatly. She had wanted to see him put the mail in the box as
Grandfather had told her he would. So on the second day, Grandfather
went out with her and explained to the carrier that little girls from
the city liked mail that came in boxes better than mail that was just
handed in city fashion. And after that, the carrier smiled and nodded
to her each time and then tucked the mail as carefully into the box as
though he didn't kno