tea-time,--and now stood on tiptoe by Ambrose, watching the
progress of the picture with breathless interest.

Pennie looked up from her writing at her brother's question.

"Because Miss Unity only asked me," she answered with a sort of groan.

"Is she fondest of you?" asked David from the background. He had not
spoken for a long time, for he was deeply engaged in what he called
"putting his cupboard to rights."

The four oldest children each possessed a cupboard below the
book-shelves, where they were supposed to keep their toys and private
property. David was very particular about his cupboard, and could not
bear to find any stray articles belonging to the others put away in it.
He kept it very neat, and all the curious odds and ends in it were
carefully arranged, each in its proper place. Just now he had turned
them all out on the floor, and was kneeling in front of them with his
hands in his pockets.

"It's nothing to do with that," said Nancy in answer to his question.
"It's because she's her godmother.--Why, David," she exclaimed suddenly
looking over his shoulder, "there's my emery cushion which I lost ever
so long ago!"

She pointed to a small cushion in the shape of a strawberry which lay
among David's treasures. He picked it up and put it into his pocket
before she could get hold of it.

"It was in my cupboard," he said slowly. "It had no business there. I
shall 'fisticate it."

"'Fisticate!" repeated Nancy with a laugh of contempt; "there's no such
word; is there, Pennie?"

"There is," said David quite unmoved. "I had it in English history
to-day. `All his lands were 'fisticated.' I asked Miss Grey what it
meant, and she said it meant `taken away,' so I know it's right."

"You mean `confiscate,'" put in Pennie; "but I do wish, David, you
wouldn't try to use such long words when you write for the magazine.
There's a lot in the `Habits of the Pig' I can't make out, and it's such
a trouble to copy them."

"I'm not going to lose my cushion at any rate," said Nancy, springing
suddenly on David, so that he rolled over on the floor. Dickie
immediately cast herself on the top of them with shrieks of delight,
while Pennie and Ambrose went quietly on with their occupation in the
midst of the uproar as though nothing were happening.

"I wonder if the Merridews are nice?" remarked Ambrose; "fancy five
girls!"

"Only four are going to learn," said Pennie; "Miss Unity told me their
names. There'