Mary looked thoughtful a moment, and then replied, in a confident tone,
“Boston.”

Oscar could not help laughing at this amusing mistake, and Mary, feeling hurt at the liberty he took, began to move away; but he held her by the hand, saying: 

“No, don’t go yet, Sissy—­you got my name almost right, after all.  Cousin Oscar Preston, from Boston,—­that was what you meant to say, was n’t it?”

“Yes,” replied Mary.

“Now tell me what your name is?” continued Oscar.

“Mary Preston,” she replied.

“And how old are you?”

“I ’m going to be six next winter,” she answered, with animation.

“Very well,—­you ’re a smart little girl,” replied Oscar.

“How old be you?” inquired Mary, now turning the table upon her questioner.

“I ’m fourteen,” said Oscar.

“You ’re a smart little boy,” added Mary, with a roguish twinkle in her eye, and she darted out of the room with a merry laugh.

After that, there was no more shyness between Mary and Oscar.  With the older children, however, Oscar did not get acquainted quite so easily, particularly with the girls.  He made but little progress with any of them that evening, until he retired with Jerry, with whom he was to sleep during his visit.  After they had got into bed, Jerry’s tongue was loosed, and before they went to sleep his reserve had almost entirely vanished.

CHAPTER XV.

BROOKDALE.

The next morning the air was extremely raw and chilly, and there were strong indications of rain.  Oscar’s uncle and aunt advised him so earnestly not to expose himself to the cold and damp wind, that he did not extend his rambles any further than to the barn that day.  But if he did not go far, he made many new acquaintances.  Having made sure of Jerry and Mary, he left his other two cousins to “surrender at discretion,” and turned his attention in another direction.  His first performance was to introduce himself to Billy, the horse, who was eating the breakfast James had just given him.  After rubbing and talking to him awhile, he paid his respects to a pair of oxen and three or four cows, which he helped James and Jerry to drive into the pasture near the barn.  He next visited the hogs, and then the hens.  This completed the list of life stock on the farm.  He then had a frolic with Jerry in the hay-loft, in the midst of which he suddenly stopped and inquired: 

“Is n’t it almost time for you to go to school, Jerry?”

“No,” his cousin replied, with a laugh, “it wants just six months of it.”

“Six months!” exclaimed Oscar; “what do you mean?  Don’t you go to school?”

“Yes, I go when there is any school; but it does n’t commence till next December,” replied Jerry.

“That’s a queer idea,” said Oscar; “I should like to know how long your school keeps, after it begins.”