She put an arm around each of the girls, and they all went down the broad staircase.  In the hall below they met Cousin Jack, who looked at them with an expression of disappointment on his face.

“Well!” he said.  “Well, Susan and Mehitabel,—­I’m surprised at you!”

“What’s the matter?” asked Marjorie, who could not imagine what Cousin Jack meant.  Kitty, too, looked disturbed, for since Cousin Ethel had approved of their pretty dresses, she could not think what Cousin Jack was criticising.

“The idea,” he went on, “of you girls coming down dressed like that!”

“What do you mean, Jack?” asked his wife, “I’m sure these darlings look lovely.”

“Yes, they do,” and Mr. Bryant’s tone was distinctly aggrieved; “but, you see, I thought we’d play Indians,—­and who could play Indians with such dressed-up poppets as these?”

Cousin Ethel laughed.  “Oh, that’s all right,” she said.  “Of course you can’t play Indians to-night, but you can play it all day to-morrow.  And now, I think supper is ready.  We usually have dinner at night, but we’re having supper on account of you children.”

“You’re awfully good to us, Cousin Ethel,” said Marjorie, appreciatively.  “We do sit up to dinner at home, unless there are guests.”

“Well, I’ll see that you get enough to eat, whether it’s supper or dinner,” Cousin Jack assured them, and then, the others having arrived, they all went to the dining-room.

The supper, besides being substantial and satisfying, seemed to include almost everything that appealed to the children’s tastes; and when at last the ice cream appeared, Kitty’s look of supreme content convinced Cousin Ethel that the meal had been wisely ordered.

After supper they all went into the large living room, and Cousin Jack proceeded to entertain them.

“At what time do you have to go to bed, Mehitabel?” he asked of Marjorie, whom, for no reason at all, he persisted in calling by that ridiculous name.

“They must go by nine o’clock,” said Mrs. Maynard, answering the question herself.  “The three older ones may sit up until then.”

“All right, Madam Maynard; then I shall devote my attention to the three until their bedtime, after which I may be able to chat a little while with you and Ed.”

Cousin Jack was as good as his word, and entertained the children zealously until nine o’clock.  He arranged a magic lantern show, and as the pictures were very funny, and Cousin Jack’s description of them funnier still, the young Maynards were kept in peals of laughter, in which the older part of the audience often joined.

After this, he let them listen to a large talking-machine, and as many of the records were humorous songs or comical dialogues, there was more laughter and hilarity.

Nine o’clock came all too soon, and the children trooped off to bed, regretfully.

“Shoo!” cried Cousin Jack, as the clock struck, “shoo, every one of you!  Scamper, Mehitabel!  Fly, Susannah!  And hustle, Hezekiah!”