se two words you have written. Use each
letter only once,--unless it is repeated, like _o_ in 'good.' However,
that's the only one that _is_ a repeater, so use the others only once in
any word you make. The words must be each of four letters,--no more and
no less. And they must all be good, common, well-known English words.
Now go ahead, and the best list takes a prize."

How the children scribbled! How they nibbled their pencils and thought!
How they whispered to each other to ask if such a word was right!

Marjorie was quick at puzzles, but she didn't think it would be polite
to take the prize at her own party, so she didn't hand in her list.
Neither did Kitty nor King. So when the lists were handed in, Uncle
Steve rapidly looked them over.

"The longest list," he announced, "contains ten words."

"Oh, dear!" sighed Hester. "Isn't that just my bad luck! I had nine."

"So did I," said several others, but it was Tom Craig's list that had
ten, so he received the prize. His list, as Uncle Steve read it out,
was: Cook, loud, duck, cool, cold, lock, look, dock, clod, gold. The
prize was a box of candy made in the shape of a four-leafed clover, so
it was really four boxes.

Tom generously offered to pass the sweets around at once, but Uncle
Steve advised him not to, as supper would be served pretty soon.

The children all liked the game, and clamored for a repetition of it,
but Cousin Jack said it was his turn for a game now, and if they'd all
stay at the tables, he'd give it to them.

"This is my own game," he said, "because it is called jackstraws, and my
name is Jack. I am not a man of straw, however, as you'd soon find if
you tried to knock me over! The game is almost like ordinary jackstraws,
but with slight additions."

Then there were passed around bunches of jackstraws for each table. They
were just like ordinary jackstraws, except they were of different
colors, and a little card told how to count. White ones were one; red
ones, two; blue ones, five; silver ones, ten; and gold ones, twenty.
Then one marked Good Luck counted fifteen, and another, marked
_thirteen_, counted twenty-five. This proved that thirteen was _not_ an
unlucky number!

It's always fun to play jackstraws, and the children went at it with a
zest. Midget, at the next table, was not surprised to hear Hester
complaining, "Oh, you joggled me! That isn't fair! I ought to have
another turn! I _never_ have any luck!" Marjorie smiled across at h