This, after the other, was not so easy, but they all repeated it.

Next came, "Dear, dainty, do-little Dorothy was there."

This made them laugh, but they said it safely all round.

Then, "Delightful, dangerous, Deadwood d.i.c.k was there."

They had to help each other this time, but not one of them would give up the game.

"Gay, gregarious, giggling Gladys was there."

Gladys was indeed giggling, but so were all the others. Still they were a determined lot, and each time round each one repeated all the sets of names, amid the laughing of the others.

"Kind-hearted, Kindergarten Kitty," was an easy one, but when the list wound up with "Rollicking Rufflec.u.mtuffle Rosy Posy," the game ended in a gale of laughter.

But they remembered many of the funny phrases, and often called each other by them afterward.

"Now," said Mr. Maynard, "we'll play something less wearing on the intellect. This is called the motor-car game, and you must all sit in a row. Kingdon, you're the chauffeur, and when chauffeur is mentioned, you must make a 'chuff-chuff' sound like starting the machine. d.i.c.k, you're the tire, and when tire is said, you must make a fearful report like an explosion of a bursting tire. Dorothy, you're the number, and when number is mentioned, you must say six-three-nine-nine-seven."

"What am I, Father?" said impatient Kitty.

"Oh, you're the man that they run over, and you must groan and scream.

Marjorie, you're the speed limit, and you must cry, 'Whiz! Zip!!

_Whizz!!!_' Gladys, you're the dust. All you have to do is to fly about and wave your arms and hands, and sneeze. Rosy Posy, baby, you're the horn. Whenever father says _horn_, you must say 'Toot, toot!' Will you?"

"Ess. Me play game booful, me an' Boffin; we say, 'Toot, toot!'"

"Now," went on Mr. Maynard, "I'll tell the story and when any of you are mentioned you must do your part. Then if I say automobile, you must all do your parts at once. Ready now: Well, this morning I started out for a ride and first thing I knew my tire burst."

A fearful "Plop!" from d.i.c.k startled them all, and then the game went on.

"I feared I was exceeding the speed-limit [much puffing and whizzing from Marjorie], and as I looked back through the dust [great cloud of dust represented by Gladys' pantomime] I saw I had run over a man!"

The awful groans and wails from Kitty were so realistic that Mr. Maynard himself shook with laughter.

"I sounded my horn----"

"Tooty-toot-toot!" said Rosy Posy, after being prompted by Kingdon.

"But as I was my own chauffeur"--here Kingdon's representation of a starting motor quite drowned the speaker's voice--"I hastened on before they could even get my number."

"Eight-six-eleven-nine," cried Dorothy, quite forgetting the numbers she had been told. But n.o.body minded it, for just then Mr. Maynard said, "And so I went home with my automobile."

At this everybody turned up at once, and the dust cloud flew about, and the man who was run over groaned fearfully, and tires burst one after another, and the horn tooted, until Mr. Maynard was really obliged to cry for mercy, and the game was at an end.

The afternoon, too, was nearly at an end, and so quickly had it flown that n.o.body could believe it was almost six o'clock!

But it was, and it was time for the picnic to break up, and for the little guests to go home. It had stopped raining, but was still dull and wet, so the raincoats were donned again, and, with their beautiful baskets of candies wrapped in protecting tissue papers, Gladys and Dorothy and d.i.c.k clambered into Mr. Maynard's carriage and were driven to their homes.

"Good-bye!" they called, as they drove away. "Good-bye, all! We've had a _lovely_ time!"

"Lovely? I should say so!" said Marjorie, who was clinging to her father's arm. "It's been the very best Ourday ever, and I'm _so_ glad it rained!"

"My prophecy has come true!" declared Mr. Maynard, striking a dramatic att.i.tude. "Only this morning I prognosticated you'd say that, and you----"

"And I didn't see how it could be possible," agreed Marjorie, wagging her head, wisely. "I know it. But you made it possible, you beautiful, dear, smart, clever, sweet father, you, and I've had just the elegantest time!"

"When it's my turn, I shall choose a picnic in the house," said Kitty.

"Not unless it's a rainy day," said her father. "I've enjoyed the day, too, but I can tell you it's no joke to get up this kind of a picnic.

Why, I was telephoning and sending errands for two hours before you kiddies were awake this morning."

"Dear Daddy," said Marjorie, caressing his hand in both her own, "you are _so_ good to us; and I _do_ hope it will rain next Ourday!"

"So do I!" said all the others.

CHAPTER VI

THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

At last schooldays began, and one Monday morning the three Maynards started off.

The first day of school was a great occasion, and much preparation had been made for it.

Mr. Maynard had brought each of the children a fine new box, well stocked with pencils, pens, and things of that sort. Kitty had a new slate, and Midget and King had new blankbooks.

Also, they were all in a state of clean starchiness, and the girls'

pretty gingham dresses and King's wide white collar were immaculate.

Marjorie didn't look especially happy, but her mother said:

"Now, Mopsy, dear, don't go to school as if it were penance. Try to enjoy it, and think of the fun you'll have playing with the other girls at recess."

"I know, Mother; but recess is so short, and school is so long."

"Ho! Only till one o'clock," said Kingdon. "Then we can come home, have lunch, and then there's all the afternoon to play."

"Yes, for you," said Marjorie. "But I have to practise a whole hour, and that leaves almost no time at all, and there are so many things I want to do."

"Now, my little girl," said Mrs. Maynard, very seriously, "you must try to conquer that mood. You know you have to go to school, so why not make the best of it? You don't really dislike it as much as you think you do.

So, cheer up, little daughter, and run along, determined to see the bright side, even of school."

"I will try, Mother," said Midget, smiling, as she received her good-bye kiss, "but I'll be glad when it's one o'clock."

"I wiss me could go to school," said Rosy Posy, wistfully; "me an'