middle of a figure eight to applaud her words. "You're in the right of
it; but you needn't think you'll ever keep Howard in order. How old is
this lad, anyhow?"

"Half way between Howard and me," replied Allie, as they started to
skate slowly up the creek towards home, and Howard and Marjorie dropped
a little in the rear. "He was thirteen last summer, and papa says he's a
real, true musician. He'll bring his own piano with him; but I don't
know where he'll find room to put it, for our house is full as can be,
now. Then he sings, too,--at least, he used to,--in a boy choir. Haven't
you seen his picture, Ned? It's homely, but it looks as if he might not
be so bad."

"Where's he coming from?" asked Ned.

"New York. He's lived there always; but, you know, his father died two
years ago, and his mother last month. He hasn't any relations but just
us, so he is to live here for a while. You and Howard will stand by
him, won't you, Ned?" she added persuasively, laying her mittened hand
on his. "I'm afraid the other boys will run on him and make fun of him.
Don't tell Howard I said so, but I don't expect to like him much myself,
only I'm sort of sorry for him; and then he's our cousin, so I suppose
we must make sure he has a good time."

"I won't be hard on him, Allie," her companion answered her, laughing a
little at the unwonted seriousness of her tone; "as long as he doesn't
put on airs and talk big about New York and 'the way _we_ do East,' and
all that poppycock, I'll stand by him. But if he's coming out here to
show us how to do it, the sooner it's taken out of him the better."

"Wait till the train comes in, day after to-morrow morning, Ned," said
Howard, as, with a few quick strokes, he and Marjorie overtook them once
more. "We'll take a look at him and see what he's like, before we make
too many promises. Now, then, ma'am," he added, as he and Marjorie
paused at a great stone on the bank of the creek; "if you'll be good
enough to sit down, I'll have your skates off instanter."

Marjorie laughed, as she dropped down on the stone and put one little
foot on Howard's knee, while Ned performed a similar service for Allie.

"I'm crazy to see your cousin, Allie," she said. "I know he's going to
be great fun, only I'm afraid he'll think we are hopeless tomboys.
Probably he's been used to girls that sit in the parlor and sew
embroidery, instead of skating and riding bronchos bareback, and playing
hare and hounds with the