there to a tennis-party this afternoon; so you will soon see them for
yourself. Now, come in and say good-morning to the mater; she is
longing to see you."

"Hello, Peterkins!" called out Maggie at that moment, as a small boy
with a smut across his face suddenly peeped round a door.

"I'm not Peterkins!" he said angrily.

Maggie laughed again. "I am going to call you Peterkins," she said.
"Is this one of the little brothers, Belle?"

"Yes.--Come here at once, Andrew, and speak to Miss Howland."

The boy approached shyly. Then his eyes looked up into the queer face
of the girl who looked down at him. The sulkiness cleared away from
his brow, and he said, in an eager, hurried, half-shy,
half-confidential way, "I say, do you like rabbits?"

"Dote on 'em," said Maggie.

"Then I'm your man, and I don't mind being Peterkins to you; and will
you--will you come and see mine? I've got Spot-ear, and Dove, and
Angelus, and Clover. And Jack, he has five rabbits, but they're not
near as nice as mine. You'll come and see my rabbits, won't you,
Miss--Miss-----"

"Oh, I am Maggie," said the girl. "I'll come and see your rabbits,
Peterkins, in a minute; and I won't look at Jack's; but you must let
me talk to your mother first."

"There you are, Maggie," said Belle when the boy had disappeared;
"fascinating Andrew in your usual way; and Jack will be just furious,
for he's the elder, you know, and he has a temper, and you mustn't set
one of them against the other--promise you won't."

"Trust me," said Maggie. "Peterkins is a nice little fellow, and I'll
manage Jackdaw too."

"You don't mean to say you'll call them by those names?"

"Yes, yes. I always have my own way with people, as you know."

"Indeed I do. Oh, come along, you queer creature. Here's the darling
mums. Mater dearest, here is Maggie Howland."

"Delighted to see you, my dear," said Mrs. Tristram. "I hope you are
not tired after your journey from town."

"Not in the least, thank you, Mrs. Tristram," said Maggie, speaking in
a voice of very peculiar quality; it was sweet and rich and full of
many intonations. She had the power of putting a world of meaning into
the most commonplace expressions.

Mrs. Tristram had not seen Maggie before, and it was Mr. Tristram who
had been completely bowled over by the young lady just at
Christmas-time.

"I bid you a hearty welcome to the rectory," said the good clergyman's
wife, "and I hope you will have a pleasant time