hands to entertain in the house,
now, while grandma is laid up? Would there be any house left?" asked
Auntie Jean.

"The cellar," said Eunice. "But I'd be sorry for you, auntie."

"And I for myself. But I don't think it will rain, and you'll probably
have a lovely time together."

"Don't expect too much," advised Will. "Anticipation is always better
than reality, you know."

"It wouldn't be, if people always had as good a time as they expected,"
remarked Cricket, thoughtfully.

There was a shout at this.

"Exactly, little wiseacre. That's the trouble," laughed auntie. "Write
to Hilda to come on the 4.10 train Friday afternoon, and we'll all be
ready to help you both have as good a time as you anticipate."

Cricket departed to write the following letter:

"DEAREST OLD HILDA:

"I was so glad to get your letter that I nearly jumped out of my
shoes. We'll have the greatest fun that ever was, and auntie
will take us to Plymouth, and I'll guess Will will sail us out
beyond the Gurnet Light, and we can have a picnic on the island,
perhaps. What do you think I've gone and done to-day? I expect
you'll say it's just like me, and I'm sure it isn't like anybody
else, and I'm awfully morterfied. I wrestled with grandmother,
my grandmother Maxwell, when she didn't know I was going to, and
I tipped her right over accidentally, without meaning to, and
I've almost broken her leg!!! Isn't that _too dreadful_? I
didn't quite break her leg, but I sprained her ankle, so she
can't walk. I never knew anybody to do such terrible,
morterfying things as I do. I do hope I'll get to be proper and
good when I'm grown-up. It would be very nice to be born proper,
and _very_ nice for my mother, but then I wouldn't have had so
much fun. I want to see you so much that I can't wait, hardly.
It seems a million years till Friday. Remember you're to stay a
whole week, and we'll have _loads_ of fun. Auntie says come on
the 4.10 train, and we'll meet you.

"Yours very lovingest,

"JEAN MAXWELL."

The next morning, after breakfast, when grandma was up and dressed, with
her sprained foot resting on a cushioned chair in front of her, Cricket
presented herself at the door.

"I've come to be your legger, grandma," she announced, "and I'll read to
you, or amuse you, or play dominos or halma with you, or anything you
like. Or we might play go-bang. That's very