had a fad, then, for godchildren; she used to go
around picking out the girl babies who had blue eyes. She was a friend
of Grandmother Duncan's and mother couldn't refuse her. She has nine
altogether and always gives them the same things."

"And every time you see her she has a new fad," added Graham. "Once she
was a suffragist but she switched because the suffs didn't serve tea at
their meetings and the antis did. One time she was building a home for
Friendless Females and another time she was organizing the poor
underpaid shop girls, and the next----"

"Mother, listen," broke in Isobel. She had taken the letter from her
mother and had been re-reading it. "She says she's going to France next
spring and she's thinking about taking one of her godchildren with her.
She's studying French and she wants us to talk French to her while she
is here----"

"Well, I guess _not_! _I'll_ eat in the kitchen," vowed Graham.

Gyp commenced to chuckle. "Let's say a whole lot of funny things in
French--like when Sue Perkins translated 'the false teeth of the young
man' and Mademoiselle sent her out of class."

"Mother!" Isobel's brain was working rapidly. "_I_ ought to be the
goddaughter she picks out." She did not consider it necessary to explain
to her family the process of reasoning by which the other eight were
eliminated. "Wouldn't it be wonderful?" But her beautiful vision was
threatened by the mischief written in every line of Gyp's and Graham's
faces. "Mother, _won't_ you make the children promise to behave?"

"_Children_----" snorted Graham.

"----if they act dreadful the way they always do when Aunt Maria's here,
they'll spoil all my chances!" Isobel was sincerely distressed.

"My dear," her mother laughed. "Don't build your castles in Spain--or
France--quite so fast. I am not sure I would _let_ you go over with Aunt
Maria. But Gyp and Graham must promise to be very nice to Aunt Maria
because she is an old lady----"

"But, mother, she's not exactly old; she's just--funny!"

"Anyway, Gyp, she will be our guest."

"_Make_ them promise, mother----"

"Oh, you're just thinking of yourself----" declared Graham.

"Children, let's not spoil this Saturday by worrying over Aunt Maria.
Even though, sometimes, she is very trying, I know each one of you will
help make her visit pleasant and we'll overlook her little oddities. Who
wants to drive down to the market with me?"

Gyp and Jerry begged eagerly to go; Tibby had to t