Jimmy Boy

one, stood as if in the act of climbing the hill. In front was a sloping lawn full of brilliant flowers, bordered with house-leek, o

e stone trough, into which water dripped from a faucet. Two birds, called red-hammers, w

ew cottages in sight. These tiny cottages were not at all pretty, and had no grass or lawns in front, but people from t

their elders entered the hot

, my friends, and three

awhile outside; but it was a full minute before any of them discovered that the

you like animals, young ladies? If so, please stand up

g people with regular dancing steps, making at the same time the most graceful salaams, pausing now and then to sway himself as if he were court

to see you," said Mr. Templeton, as the

ems as if I couldn't wait till to-morrow for Bab

e, little Eddo clinging fast to Jimmum's forefinger. They passed an old lady who sat on the veranda k

ard

"and they have lots of jingle in 'e

that's all I've got to say. Nobody wants to take childre

fingers had been flying all the while she talked. Mr. Templeton

yway," he reflected; for she kept a magpie, three cats and a canar

gong sounded for dinner. The Templeton dining-room was large and held several tables. The Dunlees had the longest of these, the one near the west window. There were twelve plates set, though only n

o' me," said Lucy. "O

eese. Mrs. McQuilken herself, dressed in a very odd style, was knitting again. She was a remarkably industrious woman, and as it would be perhaps three or four minutes before the soup came in, she could not bear to waste the time in idleness. Her head-dress was odd enough. It was just a strip of white muslin wound around the head like an East

re's a boy I know over there at tha

as older than himself and in higher classes; but here among strangers Jimmy-boy was glad to see a familiar

ants gliding about the room

rom Cathay," whisp

know what

athay or Cipango," went on Kyz

Cathay and Cipango were the old names for China and Japan. This had been p

naman with a pigtail? She had told Bab she was almost sure there would be a "China cook" at the mountains, and when he passed the soup he would say, "Hav

his head began to nod over his plate, his spoon waved uncertainly in t

e glad to find themselves snugly in bed. They slept late, every one of them, and even the woodpeckers, ta

ddled up in her arms like babies, and was kissing their foreheads and calling them "mamma's precious darling

you lik

m. Oh, yes,

at you'd be pleased with. It's a beauty, and such a tail! Come up to my room and see it if you want to. My r

o tell Kyzie what the "knit

take us all out on an exploring expedition. You know he h

that mine," said Lucy, as th

afraid it isn't quite safe to take little bits of peo

isky," re

, "little bits of people,

mine mean

See here, Eddo, let's go i

tiful picture book in mamma's drawer. You just ask Maggie and

he way. They wanted to go to see a charming "great big hole" somewhere, and they thought he would fall into it and get hurt. They were always thinking su

talk to that mine. I shan't say, 'Come, little mine, Eddo won't hurt oo.' No, no, not

s were, for she appeared just then, bearing the news that she and Uncl

he seat between us. Aren't the rest of you willing to give him up

p, and he bounded away with Aunt Vi, his dear