an air as much like Mr. King's as was possible, and finishing up with
two or three little nods.

"Oh, no, dear, that isn't it," cried the old gentleman, "I'll tell you.
Say, Phronsie, 'you are all cousins--every one.'"

"You are all cousins--every one," repeated little Phronsie, simply,
shaking her yellow head into the very middle of the group.

"Does she mean it, grandpapa? Does she mean it?" cried Percy, in the
greatest excitement.

"As true as everything?" demanded Joel, crowding in between them.

"As true as--truth!" said the old gentleman solemnly, patting the
child's little fat hand. "So make the most of it."

"Oh!" said Polly, with a long sigh. And then Jasper and she took hold of
hands and had a good spin!

Joel turned around with two big eyes on Percy.

"We're cousins!" he said.

"I know it," said Percy, "and so's Van!"

"Yes," said Van, flying up, "and I'm cousin to Polly, too--that's best!"

"Can't I be a Cousin?" cried little Dick, crowding up, with two red
cheeks. "Isn't anybody going to be a cousin to me, too?"

"Everybody but Jasper," said the old gentleman, laughing heartily at
them. "You and I, my boy," he turned to his son, "are left out in the
cold."

At this a scream, loud and terrible to hear, struck upon them all, as
Joel flung himself flat on the floor.

"Isn't Jappy--our--cousin? I--want--Jappy!"

"Goodness!" exclaimed the old gentleman, in the greatest alarm, "what is
the matter with the boy! Do somebody stop him!"

"Joel," said Jasper, leaning over him, and trying to help Polly lift him
up. "I'll tell you how we'll fix it! I'll be your brother. That's best
of all--brother to Polly, and Ben and the whole of you--then we'll see!"

Joel bolted up at that, and began to smile through the tears running
down the rosy face.

"Will you, really?" he said, "just like Ben--and everything?"

"I can't be as good as Ben," said Jappy, laughing, "but I'll be a real
brother like him."

"Phoo--phoo! Then I don't care!" cried Joel wiping off the last tear
on the back of his chubby hand. "Now I guess we're better'n you," he
exclaimed with a triumphant glance over at the little Whitneys, as he
began to make the new shoes skip at a lively pace up and down the long
room.

"Oh, dear!" they both cried in great distress.

"Now, papa, Jappy's going to be Joey's brother--and he isn't anything
but our old uncle! Make him be ours more, papa, do!"

And then Polly sprang up.

"Oh! oh--deary me!"