-chair over here, and a cushion too--somewhere.
Clear out, can't you, Peter? I believe we can even rise to a footstool,
if it isn't lost. You might look for it, Bobbin, instead of staring like
a stuck pig!' He installed her in the arm-chair and placed himself in
front of her, slightly bending forward, as he had seen his father do when
there were visitors in the drawing-room; and although the result was
rather funny when Kit did it, he managed to make Jill feel a little
more at home. 'I suppose you are Auntie Anna's daughter,' he continued
politely, 'but we don't know your name. I don't think we have ever heard
it.'

'I am Jill Urquhart,' answered the girl. She swept a glance round at the
others, who stood listening, and made a little gesture of dismay. 'What a
lot there are of you!' she exclaimed, without thinking. 'I shall never
remember all your names!'

It was an unlucky beginning, for they at once put down her remark to
affectation and counted it against her. They were so used to their numbers
themselves, that they could not understand any one else being overwhelmed
by them. Peter looked mischievous.

'It isn't so confusing as it looks,' he hastened to tell her. 'We all
answer to our names, and you will find us warm-hearted and obedient.'

Jill glanced at him innocently. 'Why,' she said with a little laugh, 'you
talk as though you were all dogs!'

Peter was left staring, and the others tittered. By her perfectly
natural remark she had turned the scale in her favour and convinced them
that there was stuff in the 'adopted kid' after all. Quite unconscious
of having said anything funny, though, Jill waited till they stopped
laughing, and then turned again to Christopher. 'Won't you introduce
me?' she asked.

Kit nodded towards Egbert, who had finished brushing himself down and was
waiting to shake hands. 'That is Egbert, who is just waking up to the
fact that you're here,' he announced. 'You will find him rather superior,
I am afraid, but we put up with him because of his age and position. Pass
along, please!'

Egbert shrugged his shoulders good-naturedly. 'It's only Kit's way,' he
explained to Jill; 'everybody gives in to Kit.'

Jill smiled. 'Kit's way' had made her forget her shyness, and she was
already interested in the delicate-looking lad, with the thin, clever
face, who had so promptly taken her under his protection.

'The next is Wilfred,' continued Christopher. 'He is responsible for the
unsavoury s