“Not many,” said King, “and that’s a fact.  Well, are they a lady and gentleman?”

“They are.”

“Oh, I know!” cried Marjorie.  “It’s Kitty and Uncle Steve!  He said they’d come down here some time while we’re here!  Am I right, Father?”

“Not quite, Mopsy.  You see, I said they are grown-ups.”

“Both of them?”

“Both of them.”

“Well, I don’t care much who they are, then,” declared King.  “I don’t see anything in it for us, Mops.”

“No, but we ought to guess them if they’re spending the summer here and we’ve met them.  Of course, it couldn’t be Kitty!  She isn’t spending the summer here.  Is it the Coreys or Craigs, Father?”

“No, neither of those names fit our expected guests.”

“Then it must be some of those people the other side of the pier.  I don’t know any more on this side except the fishermen.  Is it any of them?”

“Well, no.  I doubt if they’d care to visit us.  But never mind our guests for the moment; I want you two children to go on an errand for me.”

“Right-o!” said King.  “Where?”

“Walk along the shore road three blocks, then turn inland and walk a block and a half.  Do you know that place with lots of vines all over the front of the house?”

“Yes, I do,” said Marjorie, “but nobody lives there.”

“All right.  I want you to take a message to Mr. Nobody.”

“Oh, Father, what do you mean?”

“Just what I say.  You say nobody lives there, and that’s the very man I mean.”

“All right,” said King.  “We’ll go, if you tell us to.  Hey, Mops?”

“’Course we will!  What shall we say to Mr. Nobody, Father?”

“First you must ring the doorbell, and if Nobody opens the door, walk in.”

“Ho!  If Nobody opens the door, how can we walk in?”

“Walk in.  And then if Nobody speaks to you, answer him politely, and say your father, one Mr. Maynard, desires his advice and assistance.”

“Oh, Father, I do believe you’re crazy!” exclaimed Marjorie.

“Never mind,” said King, “if Father’s crazy, we’ll be crazy too!  What next, for orders?”

“After that, be guided by your own common sense and good judgment.  And,—­you wouldn’t be frightened at Nobody, would you?”

“No!” declared King.  “Nobody could frighten me!”

“Oh, he could, could he?  Well, you are a foolish boy if Nobody could frighten you!”

King looked a little confused, and then he laughed and said, “Well, I’d just as lieve fight Nobody, if he attacks me.”

“There’ll be no cause to fight, my boy.  Now, skip along, and remember your message.”

“Yes, Mr. Edward Maynard wants advice and assistance from Nobody!  Well, I guess that’s right, Father, but it all sounds to me like an April Fool joke.  Come on, Midget.”

As the two children skipped away, King said, thoughtfully, “What does it all mean, Mops?”