e boys wore holland blouses and knickerbockers. The boys
happened to be the two youngest of the family, and none of the
children had yet gone to school. The name and ages of the five were as
follows: First came Lucy, aged twelve; then Mary, aged ten; then Ann,
aged nine; then Philip and Conrad, aged respectively seven and a half
and six. The faces of the whole five bore a curious resemblance to
both father and mother, the eldest girl having the round, black eyes
of her mother, and the large, somewhat irregular features of the
father. Mary resembled Lucy in being fat and largely built, but her
eyes were blue instead of black; while little Ann had a small face,
with gray eyes and rather sensitive lips. The complexions of the three
were fair, and their good looks were rather above the average. They
were proper, neat-looking little girls, and, notwithstanding their
inward excitement, they ate their breakfast tidily, and took good care
not to express any emotion before Miss Ramsay or their good-natured
father.

"Yes," said Mr. Dolman, looking at them, and pushing his spectacles up
on his forehead, "yes, that is the news. Your mother returns to-night,
and the four Delaneys with her. Let me see what else she says." He
replaced his spectacles on his nose and looked over his wife's letter
again. "These are the very words," he said; "Observe, Miss Ramsay,
that I read from the letter. 'I return by the train which reaches
Super-Ashton at six o'clock, and will bring the four Delaneys with
me.' Four, you see, Lucy; that is the number. But mamma does not
mention the sex of the children. How many boys or how many girls? I
really am quite out of date with regard to your cousins, my love."

"But I know all about them, papa," burst from Ann's eager lips.

"You forget your French, Ann," said Miss Ramsay, laying her hand on
the little girl's arm. "You will be punished if you speak English
again at meals."

Ann colored and dropped her eyes. She began to eat her bread and
butter hastily; she longed beyond words to tell the others the
knowledge she had secretly acquired about her cousins the Delaneys.

"'Please send the wagonette to the station,'" continued Mr. Dolman,
reading his wife's letter, and holding it close to his eyes,
"'and--yes, the cart for the luggage, as the children'--um, um, um,
that part is private, my dears."

Mr. Dolman dropped his spectacles and nodded at the eager little group
round the table.

"Well," he continu