ry of the two men who
owned one elephant, and one man said to the other: "I don't know what
you are going to do with your half; I am going to shoot mine!"

"And did he, Aunt Woggles?" asked Betty, her eyes wide with horror.

"I wonder," I said. "I'll race you to the end of the passage."

"I won," cried Betty. "No, we both of us did," she added, slipping her
hand into mine.

That evening Diana told me that a few days before, she had heard the
following conversation between Hugh and Betty:

"I am going to shoot my cock."

"Hugh!" said Betty, "don't, it's a darlin' cock."

"But it doesn't lay eggs," said Hugh.

"I don't think cocks are supposed to lay eggs," said Betty thoughtfully.

"Well, I don't see why they shouldn't," said Hugh; "widowers have
children."

Chapter IV

Suppose all aunts, that is to say, all professional aunt, know what it
is to be visited at seven o'clock in the morning by nephews and nieces,
fresh, vigorous, and rosy after a night's rest. Fresh, and oh! so
vigorous and deliciously rosy were Hugh and Betty when they appeared at
my bedside at seven o'clock the next morning.

"Hullo!" said Hugh, "we've come. May we get into your bed? I'll get up
steam and take a long run and jump in. Shall I?"

I braced myself up for the shock. There is no need to go through the
morning's program; I suppose every aunt knows it. Bears, camel-rides,
robbers, and various other things, all of a distinctly energetic nature.
At half past seven-you see it doesn't take long, any aunt can bear half
an hour--Nannie appeared, carrying a deliciously rosy Sara with her hair
done on the top, which makes her more than ever fascinating; and in
her arms she carried her bunny--Sara's arms, I mean, of course. "Nice
bunny," she said.

"Who gave you your bunny?" I asked.

"Jesus!" said Sara, triumphantly nodding her head and opening her eyes
very wide. "Jesus makes all ve bunnies, and all ve vitty dickey birds,
and all ve vitty fowers, and all ve big fowers and all ve ponge cakes,
and Yaya."

"And what is Sara going to do with her bunny?" I asked.

"Vuv it," she said with ecstasy.

"Shall I leave her?" asked Nannie.

"What a foolish question, Nannie!" I said. "Could any one send away a
blue dressing-be-gowned Sara?"

"And shall I take the others, miss?"

"Do," I replied.

They went and left me in sole possession of Sara.

"Shall I tell Sara a story?" I said. She nodded her head.

"A storlie all about bu