o had just
slipped into the room, joined in the merriment.

"There you are," chuckled Jeff. "That's what you get when you give the
donkey the solo part among the farmyard performers."

"He can sing as well as the peacock," retorted Just, with spirit.

"We were right in the middle of the _'Hungarian Intermezzo,'_" explained
Celia to the newcomers. "I stopped them to tell them why they needed to
look more carefully to their phrasing, and the children burst into this
sort of thing. What shall I do with them?"

"It's a great relief to feel that they're not altogether grown up, after
all," said Mr. Birch, helping himself to his favourite easy chair near
the fireplace. "There are times when we feel a strong suspicion that we
haven't any children any more. Moments like these assure us that we are
mistaken. Go on with your '_Intermezzo,_' but give us another nursery
song before you are through."

"Nursery song! That's pretty good," said Jeff, in Just's ear, and that
sixteen-year-old mumbled in reply, "I can throw you over my shoulder
just the same."

"Boys, come! We're ready!" called Celia, and the music began again.

"Are you getting tired, dear?" asked Mrs. Birch of Evelyn, when the
"_Intermezzo_" was finished, noting the flush on the delicate cheek.
Evelyn looked up brightly.

"Not enough to hurt me. I'm enjoying it so! Aren't large families
lovely? I was so much younger than my brothers and sisters that by the
time I was old enough to care about having good times like this on
winter evenings they were all away at school or married. We never had
anything so nice as a family orchestra, either. I wish I could play
something."

"How about the piano?" asked Charlotte, who sat near. Evelyn's flush
grew pinker.

"I can play a little," she said. "But you don't need the piano."

"Yes, we do. A piano would add ever so much. Next time we'll have our
practice at home, and give you a part."

Then she glanced at Lucy, and saw what might have been expected, a look
of envy and discontent. "Is there anything you can play, Lucy?" she
asked. "It would be very nice to have everybody in. Perhaps Ran could
have a triangle."

"I play the piano," said Lucy.

"Oh, give Lucy the piano," Evelyn said, quickly,--also as might have
been expected.

"We'll try you both," put in Doctor Churchill, "as they always do
aspirants for such positions."

"I've had lessons from the best master in our state," said Lucy to Just.

"That so? Then