on.

'Got a headache,' said Hector. 'Leave off, Ger,' he went on. 'It's my
turn,' for the two had been stroking the chinchilla muff with great
satisfaction while Aunt Mattie had been speaking to the elder boys.

Ger gave a yell. Hec had nipped his fingers to make him give up his
share of the muff. Miss Mouse's face grew red, and she very quietly took
her hands out of the muff, and put it behind her, between her shoulders
at the back of her chair, though without speaking. Aunt Mattie saw what
she did and smiled to herself. Hector and Gervais only stared.

'If you will be quiet, Justin--you and Pat and Archie, I will explain
about Rosamond,' and she put her arm round the little girl
affectionately.

'Her's Mith Mouse, not Lotha--wubbish,' said Ger.

'Hold your----' began Justin.

Ger shut his mouth up tight.

'Miss Mouse then,' said Aunt Mattie, 'is my niece, just as you are my
nephews, only she's not your cousin.'

'Why not?' said Pat, suddenly waking up. This sounded rather like a
riddle, or a puzzle of some kind, and Pat loved puzzles.

'Because she is Uncle Ted's niece--she is my niece now because I am
married to Uncle Ted, but that doesn't make her your cousin.'

'Then she _isn't_ your niece the same as we're your nephews,' said Pat,
preparing for a good argument.

'Well, no, not exactly. But still she _is_ my niece, just as much as
Uncle Ted is your uncle, and you wouldn't like any one to say he is not
your proper uncle, would you, for I know you are very fond of him?'

There was no reply to this for a moment or two. The boys _were_ very
fond of Uncle Ted, but yet the relationship was a little perplexing.
They had never thought of it before, and even Pat felt that it might
seem rude if he did not agree that Uncle Ted was as much an uncle as
Aunt Mattie was an aunt.

It was Miss Mouse who came to the rescue.

'I know what,' she said, and her voice was very clear indeed, 'I know
what, boys--we'll settle that I _am_ to be your cousin, and that'll make
it all right. Uncle Ted and Aunt Mattie will be our uncle and aunt to
all of us just the same, once we're cousins.'

'All right,' said Justin and Archie, who were longing to begin another
scrimmage of some kind. 'All right,' said Pat, not quite so heartily,
for he was disappointed of his argument with Aunt Mattie. 'All zight,'
said Hec and Ger--Ger adding, 'but thoo'll be Mith Mouse _always_. Are
thoo goin' to live here in thit houth?'

All the boys s