use I never knew you to do anything I told you not to do,
and whatever you tell me, I know is exactly true."

"You're such a beautiful grandma!" said Cricket, with a hug, and then
she pranced off.

Zaidee and Helen came toiling up from the beach, with their arms full of
dolls. Zaidee dropped down on the top piazza-step.

"Auntie Jean, I'm all in such a pusferation," she sighed. "It's so much
work to take care of such a lot of children as I have. I wish I had a
little live nurse to help me. Couldn't I?"

"Take Cricket," suggested Auntie Jean. "She wants something to do."

"No, I thank you," said that young woman, decidedly. "I'm glad _I_ don't
have to follow Zaidee up all day."

"And I wouldn't have you," returned Zaidee, with equal decision. "You
tooked up my Beatrice by the neck, and it hurted her. She told me so. I
don't want you for my dollie's nurse, or for my nurse, either."

"_Your_ nurse!" exclaimed Cricket. "I wouldn't be 'Liza for anything!
I'd as soon take care of a straw in a high wind, as take care of you."

Auntie Jean laughed, and drew Cricket down into her arms.

"Did you ever think, honestly," she whispered, "that Zaidee is a little,
just a little, like one of her older sisters?"

"Oh, she's not so bad," responded Cricket, instantly. "But because she's
like me is no reason I like it any better. I like it all the worse.
Besides, I don't set up to be a polygon."

Hereupon Auntie Jean laughed until grandma demanded to know what the
joke was, and why they were talking secrets.

"No secrets," answered auntie, wiping her eyes. "Cricket was only
telling me that she didn't set up to be a _paragon_."

Cricket flashed a quick glance at auntie, caught her eye, and nodded her
thanks.

"There's George Washington," she hastily remarked, changing the
subject. "Come here, sir, and play a little. You've been as sober as a
judge lately. I haven't seen you run after Martha for perfect ages."

The September days slipped by, until the first of October was just at
hand. It was arranged that Auntie Jean should go and get the house in
town in readiness for the family's return. At first she expected to go
alone, but the girls begged to go with her, and finally she concluded to
take them.

Will and Archie had already gone back to Philadelphia, on account of
their school, so this arrangement would only leave the younger ones and
Eliza with grandma for a few days longer.

Then, oh, joy! that blessed Auntie Jean