rother Max?"

"Polite little boys do not call gentlemen nobodies," remarked another
voice that seemed to come from a distant corner of the room.

"And I didn't mean to," said Ned, "but the things I want to say will
twist up, somehow."

"That bird you are eating looks good," said the same voice; "couldn't
you spare me a leg?"

"Oh, yes," laughed Ned, "if you'll come and get it. But one of these
little legs wouldn't be much more than a bite for you."

"Well, a bite would be better than no breakfast at all; and somebody
might give me one of those nice-looking rolls."

"I'm sure of it if you'll come to the table and show yourself,"
replied Ned.

"Here I am then," said the voice close at his side.

"Oh, are you?" returned Ned. "Well, help yourself. You can have
anything you choose to take."

"Now, Ned, do you call that polite?" laughed Lucilla. "As you invited
him to the table you surely ought to help him to what he has asked
for."

At that Ned looked scrutinizingly at Cousin Ronald's plate, then at
his brother's, and seeing that both were well filled remarked, "I see
he's well helped already and oughtn't to be asking for more till he
gets that eaten up."

"Oh, you know too much, young man," laughed Max. "It isn't worth while
for Cousin Ronald and me to waste our talents upon you."

"Oh, yes, it is, Brother Max," said the little fellow, "for it's fun,
even though I do know it's one or the other or both of you."

"Oh, Cousin Ronald," exclaimed Elsie, "can't you make some fun at the
wedding, as you did when Cousin Betty was married? I don't remember
much of it myself, but I've heard other folks tell about it."

"Why not ask Max instead of me?" queried Mr. Lilburn.

"Oh!" cried the little girl, "I'd like to have both of you do it. It's
more fun with two than with only one."

"And it might be well to consult cousins Maud and Dick about it,"
suggested Grandma Elsie. "You can do so to-day, as we are all invited
to take lunch at Torriswood."

"Are we? oh, that's nice!" exclaimed Elsie, smiling brightly. "You
will let us go, papa, won't you?"

"Yes; I expect to take you there."

"And if we all go Cousin Ronald and Max might make some fun for us
there. I guess the Torriswood folks would like it," remarked Ned
insinuatingly.

"But might not you grow tired--having so much of it?" asked Max.

"No, indeed!" cried the little fellow. "It's too much fun for anybody
to get tired of it."

"Any little chap like yo