r at home, unless there are guests."

"Well, I'll see that you get enough to eat, whether it's supper or
dinner," Cousin Jack assured them, and then, the others having arrived,
they all went to the dining-room.

The supper, besides being substantial and satisfying, seemed to include
almost everything that appealed to the children's tastes; and when at
last the ice cream appeared, Kitty's look of supreme content convinced
Cousin Ethel that the meal had been wisely ordered.

After supper they all went into the large living room, and Cousin Jack
proceeded to entertain them.

"At what time do you have to go to bed, Mehitabel?" he asked of Marjorie,
whom, for no reason at all, he persisted in calling by that ridiculous
name.

"They must go by nine o'clock," said Mrs. Maynard, answering the question
herself. "The three older ones may sit up until then."

"All right, Madam Maynard; then I shall devote my attention to the three
until their bedtime, after which I may be able to chat a little while
with you and Ed."

Cousin Jack was as good as his word, and entertained the children
zealously until nine o'clock. He arranged a magic lantern show, and as
the pictures were very funny, and Cousin Jack's description of them
funnier still, the young Maynards were kept in peals of laughter, in
which the older part of the audience often joined.

After this, he let them listen to a large talking-machine, and as many of
the records were humorous songs or comical dialogues, there was more
laughter and hilarity.

Nine o'clock came all too soon, and the children trooped off to bed,
regretfully.

"Shoo!" cried Cousin Jack, as the clock struck, "shoo, every one of you!
Scamper, Mehitabel! Fly, Susannah! And hustle, Hezekiah!"

With Cousin Jack clapping his hands and issuing his peremptory orders,
the children ran laughing away, and scurried upstairs.

"Did you ever see such ducky people?" said King, as he lingered in the
upper hall a minute with his sisters.

"They're perfectly beautiful!" said Marjorie. "And I can hardly wait for
to-morrow to come to see what Cousin Jack will do next."

"Let's go to bed," said practical Kitty, "and that'll make to-morrow come
quicker. Good-night, King."

"Good-night, Kit; good-night, Mopsy," and with an affectionate tweak of
his sisters' curls. King went away to his own room, and the girls to
theirs.

CHAPTER XIX

FUN AT COUSIN ETHEL'S

Next morning Midget and Kitty were awake ea