“Boo!” replied Diana, “you is a silly boy.”  Then she turned to Mary.  “I is awfu’ tired and s’eepy,” she said.  “I’d like to go stwaight to bed.”

“You must have supper first.  Did you not hear mamma say so?  Now, come along with me.”

Mary held out her hand, which Diana, after a momentary hesitation, condescended to take.

Meanwhile, Ann had gone up to Iris.

“Would you not like me to show you your room, cousin?” she said; “and please, I want to say how very glad I am that you have come.”

A faint tinge of delicate color came into Iris’ sweet little face at these words—­they were the first attempt at a real welcome she had received.  She held out her hand to Ann without a word, and the Delaneys and Dolmans entered the cheerful Rectory in a body.  The four little strangers, accompanied by Mary and Ann, went upstairs, where Simpson was waiting for them.  Simpson was feeling very cross at the arrival of four additional children, but when she saw Diana’s tired face, and the tears on Iris’ pale cheeks, and the defiant, and yet baby look in Orion’s bright eyes, something came over her which she could not quite account for, and she suddenly became kind and agreeable.

“Come, my dears,” she said; “why, you must all be dead tired, you poor little mites.  Come now—­come in here.  And what are your names?”

“I am Iris,” replied the eldest little girl in a sweet voice.

“Iris!” repeated Simpson; “and what’s your name, young master?”

“Apollo,” answered the little boy, flinging back his dark head and fixing his handsome eyes upon the woman.

“My word! that’s a queer sort of name—­outlandish, I call it!” ejaculated Simpson.  “And now, missy, I expect you are called Baby?”

“No, I aren’t,” replied Diana.  “I is the gweat Diana; I has got a bow and arrow, and I’ll shoot you if you is not kind.”

“Oh, lor’!  Now, missy, you would not be so cruel as that?”

“Yes, I would,” replied Diana.  “See this box in my hand?  It’s an awfu’ pwecious box—­it has got spiders in it and two beetles.  May I put the poor darlin’s loose in my room?”

Now, if Simpson had a horror, it was of spiders and beetles.

“You keep that box shut, miss,” she said, “for if you dare to open it in your bedroom I’ll just go straight down and tell my mistress.”

“And then you’ll get punished, Diana,” said Mary, in her most annoying voice.

“Is you a cousin?” asked Diana, by way of reply.

“Certainly I am.”  Mary opened her round eyes in some astonishment.

“Is you my cousin?”

“Yes; I am your first cousin.”

“First cousin,” repeated Diana.  She flung off her hat and threw it on the floor.

“Orion,” she said, turning to her little brother, “you take good care of our pwecious box.  And what is you?” she continued, raising her eyes to Simpson’s face.

“Well, my dear, at the present moment I am the nurse, and ready to wash you and look after you, and make you comfortable.”