xciting cause of so much mirth.

"Come, children, tell us the joke," said Mr. Dinsmore at length.

"O grandpa, can't you see?" asked Rosie Travilla, and they all hurried
from the room, to return presently in a procession, each carrying
something in his or her hand.

Harold had a log of wood, Herbert a post, Max a block, Frank the wooden
part of an old musket, while Chester, though empty-handed, wore an old
fashioned stock or cravat and held his head very stiffly.

Maud, dressed as a huckster, had a basket filled with apples, oranges,
nuts and candies. Sydney, wearing an old cloak and straw hat, had a
basket on her arm in which were needles, tapes, buttons, pins, and
other small wares such as are often hawked about the streets.

Lulu and Eva brought up the rear, carrying the parrot and Gracie's
kitten.

Maud and Sydney made the circuit of the room, the one crying, "Apples
and Oranges! buy any apples and oranges?" the other asking, "Want any
pins to-day? needles, buttons, shoe-strings?"

"No," said Grandma Rose, "Have you nothing else to offer?"

"No, ma'am, this is my whole stock in trade," replied Sydney.

"I laid in a fresh stock of fruit this morning, ma'am, and it's good
enough for anybody," sniffed Maud, with indignant air.

"Do you call that a musket, sir?" asked Chester of Frank.

"No, sir; I called it the stock of one."

"Lulu and Eva, why bring those creatures in here?" asked Herbert,
elevating his eyebrows as in astonishment.

"Because they're our live stock," replied Lulu.

Now Frank began to play the part of a clown or buffoon, acting in a very
silly and stupid manner, while the others looked on laughing and
pointing their fingers at him in derision.

"Frank, can't you behave yourself?" exclaimed Maud. "It mortifies me to
see you making yourself the laughing-stock of the whole company."

"Laughing-stock--laughing-stock," said several voices among the
spectators, the captain adding, "Very well done indeed!"

"Thank you, sir," said Harold. "If the company are not tired we will
give them one more."

"Let us have it," said his grandfather.

Some of the girls now joined the spectators, while Harold drew out a
little stand, and he, Chester, and Herbert seated themselves about it
with paper and pencils before them, assuming a very business-like air.

Frank had stepped out to the hall. In a minute or two he returned and
walked up to the others, hat in hand.

Bowing low, but awkwardly, "You're