unk?" When she told him, he was hugely delighted. "You
will get along! Here comes Rufe. Rufus, this is your Aunt Vinnie."

Rufus (who had finally got Chokie to hold the horse's halter) blushed to
the roots of his hair at meeting his relative, and finding her so very
youthful (I think it has already been said that the aunt was younger
than the nephew), and altogether so fresh and charming in her apron and
pinned-up sleeves.

She smilingly gave him her hand, which he took rather awkwardly, and
said,--

"How d' 'e do, Aunt Lavinia. I suppose I must call you _aunt_."

"Call me just Vinnie; the idea of my being _aunt_ to young men like
you!"

There was a little constraint on both sides, which Link relieved by
pushing between them with a big armful of wood.

"Well, good by," said Jack. "She will need a little looking after,
Rufus; see that she doesn't work too hard."

"_You_ are not going to work hard for _us_!" said Rufus, with some
feeling, after Jack was gone.

"That depends," Vinnie replied. "_You_ can make things easy for me, as I
am sure you will."

"Of course; just let me know if they don't go right. Call on Link or Wad
for anything; make 'em stand round."

Vinnie smiled at Rufe's willingness to have his brothers brought into
the line of discipline.

"They are both helping me now. But I find there are no potatoes in the
house, and I've been wondering who would get them. Lill says they are to
be dug in the field, and that she digs them sometimes; but that seems
too bad!"

"That's when Wad and Link--there's no need of _her_--I don't believe in
girls digging potatoes!" Rufe stammered.

"O, but you know," cried Lill, "sometimes we shouldn't have any potatoes
for dinner if I didn't go and dig them! I don't care, only it's such
hard work!"

Vinnie looked admiringly at the bright, brave little girl. Rufe colored
redder than ever, and said,--

"Don't _you_, now, do such a thing! Only let me know in season what's
wanted; I'll be after those boys with a sharp stick!"

Vinnie couldn't help laughing.

"So, when we're going to want a handful of wood, a pail of water, or a
basket of potatoes, I am to go for you, and you will go for the boys,
and drive them up with your sharp stick! I don't think I shall like
that. Wouldn't it be better for you to see that there are always
potatoes in the bin, and wood in the box, and other things on hand that
you know will be needed?"

It was perhaps quite as much her winnin