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Message: <blockquote data-quote="tzhfsh6" data-source="post: 11441473" data-attributes="member: 380662">〈Eight Cousins〉Serial•The Clan-2"Mac's the fellow to hunt up the old stories and tell us how to dressright, and pick out rousing bits for us to speak and sing," put inGeordie, saying a good word for the absent Worm.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"And what do you and Will do?" asked Rose of Jamie, who satbeside her as if bound to keep her in sight till the promised gift hadbeen handed over.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Oh, I'm the little foot-page, and do errands, and Will and Geordieare the troops when we march, and the stags when we hunt, andthe traitors when we want to cut any heads off.""They are very obliging, I'm sure," said Rose, whereat the "utilitymen" beamed with modest pride and resolved to enact Wallaceand Montrose as soon as possible for their cousin's special benefit.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Let's have a game of tag," cried the Prince, swinging himself up toa beam with a sounding slap on Stevie's shoulder.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]Regardless of his gloves, Dandy tore after him, and the restswarmed in every direction as if bent on breaking their necks anddislocating their joints as rapidly as possible.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]It was a new and astonishing spectacle to Rose, fresh from a primboarding-school, and she watched the active lads with breathlessinterest, thinking their antics far superior to those of Mops, thedear departed monkey.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]Will had just covered himself with glory by pitching off a high lofthead first and coming up all right, when Phebe appeared with acloak, hood, and rubbers, also a message from Aunt Plenty that"Miss Rose was to come in directly.""All right; we'll bring her!" answered Archie, issuing somemysterious order, which was so promptly obeyed that, before Rosecould get out of the carriage, the boys had caught hold of the poleand rattled her out of the barn, round the oval and up to the frontdoor with a cheer that brought two caps to an upper window, andcaused Debby to cry aloud from the back porch"Them harum-scarum boys will certainly be the death of thatdelicate little creter!"But the "delicate little creter" seemed all the better for her trip, andran up the steps looking rosy, gay, and dishevelled, to be receivedwith lamentation by Aunt Plenty, who begged her to go and liedown at once.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Oh, please don't! We have come to tea with our cousin, and we'llbe as good as gold if you'll let us stay, auntie," clamoured the boys,who not only approved of "our cousin" but had no mind to losetheir tea, for Aunt Plenty's name but feebly expressed her bountifulnature.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Well, dears, you can; only be quiet, and let Rose go and take heriron and be made tidy, and then we will see what we can find forsupper," said the old lady as she trotted away, followed by a volleyof directions for the approaching feast.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Marmalade for me, auntie.""Plenty of plum-cake, please.""Tell Debby to trot out the baked pears.""I'm your man for lemon-pie, ma'am.""Do have fritters; Rose will like 'em.""She'd rather have tarts, I know."When Rose came down, fifteen minutes later, with every curlsmoothed and her most beruffled apron on, she found the boysloafing about the long hall, and paused on the half-way landing totake an observation, for till now she had not really examined hernew-found cousins.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]There was a strong family resemblance among them, though someof the yellow heads were darker than others, some of the cheeksbrown instead of rosy, and the ages varied all the way fromsixteen-year-old Archie to Jamie, who was ten years younger.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]None of them were especially comely but the Prince, yet all werehearty, happy-looking lads, and Rose decided that boys were not asdreadful as she had expected to find them.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]They were all so characteristically employed that she could nothelp smiling as she looked. Archie and Charlie, evidently greatcronies, were pacing up and down, shoulder to shoulder, whistling"Bonnie Dundee"; Mac was reading in a corner, with his bookclose to his near-sighted eyes; Dandy was arranging his hair beforethe oval glass in the hat-stand; Geordie and Will investigating theinternal economy of the moon-faced clock; and Jamie lay kickingup his heels on the mat at the foot of the stairs, bent on demandinghis sweeties the instant Rose appeared.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]She guessed his intention, and forestalled his demand by droppinga handful of sugar-plums down upon him.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]At his cry of rapture the other lads looked up and smiledinvoluntarily, for the little kinswoman standing there above was awinsome sight with her shy, soft eyes, bright hair, and laughingface. The black frock reminded them of her loss, and filled theboyish hearts with a kindly desire to be good to "our cousin," whohad no longer any home but this.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"There she is, as fine as you please," cried Steve, kissing his handto her.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Come on, Missy; tea is ready," added the Prince encouragingly.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"I shall take her in." And Archie offered his arm with great dignity,an honour that made Rose turn as red as a cherry and long to runupstairs again.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]It was a merry supper, and the two elder boys added much to thefun by tormenting the rest with dark hints of some interestingevent which was about to occur. Something uncommonly fine,they declared it was, but enveloped in the deepest mystery for thepresent.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Did I ever see it?" asked Jamie.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Not to remember it; but Mac and Steve have, and liked itimmensely," answered Archie, thereby causing the two mentionedto neglect Debby's delectable fritters for several minutes, whilethey cudgelled their brains.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Who will have it first?" asked Will, with his mouth full ofmarmalade.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Aunt Plenty, I guess.""When will she have it?" demanded Geordie, bouncing in his seatwith impatience.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Sometime on Monday.""Heart alive! what is the boy talking about?" cried the old ladyfrom behind the tall urn, which left little to be seen but thetopmost bow of her cap.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Doesn't auntie know?" asked a chorus of voices.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"No; and that's the best of the joke, for she is desperately fond ofit.""What colour is it?" asked Rose, joining in the fun.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Blue and brown.""Is it good to eat?" asked Jamie.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Some people think so, but I shouldn't like to try it," answeredCharlie, laughing so he split his tea.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Who does it belong to?" put in Steve.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]Archie and the Prince stared at one another rather blankly for aminute, then Archie answered with a twinkle of the eye that madeCharlie explode again"To Grandfather Campbell."This was a poser, and they gave up the puzzle, though Jamieconfided to Rose that he did not think he could live till Mondaywithout knowing what this remarkable thing was.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]Soon after tea the Clan departed, singing "All the blue bonnets areover the border," at the tops of their voices.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Well, dear, how do you like your cousins?" asked Aunt Plenty, asthe last pony frisked round the corner and the din died away.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]"Pretty well, ma'am; but I like Phebe better." An answer whichcaused Aunt Plenty to hold up her hands in despair and trot awayto tell sister Peace that she never should understand that child, andit was a mercy Alec was coming soon to take the responsibility offtheir hands.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]Fatigued by the unusual exertions of the afternoon, Rose curledherself up in the sofa corner to rest and think about the greatmystery, little guessing that she was to know it first of all.[FONT=宋体]　　[/FONT]Right in the middle of her meditations she fell asleep and dreamedshe was at home again in her own little bed. She seemed to wakeand see her father bending over her; to hear him say, "My littleRose"; to answer, "Yes, papa"; and then to feel him take her in hisarms and kiss her tenderly. So sweet, so real was the dream, thatshe started up with a cry of joy to find herself in the arms of abrown, bearded man, who held her close, and whispered in a voiceso like her father's that she clung to him involuntarily"This is my little girl, and I am Uncle Alec."</blockquote>

Verification: Winadiyakata thappara keeyak tibeda?

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