"Give it up?" queried Ted. "Why, how stupid you all are! Cracky, of course!" And there was a shout at Phil's expense.
The talk ran on, and no further mention of the collection was made. Bess thought nothing more about it, until the next Monday afternoon, when she sat sewing on the piazza, hurrying to finish some bit of work. Suddenly Fred, who was swinging idly in the hammock, announced,—
"Here come the boys."
"I don't hear them," said Bess, after listening for a moment.
"I do, then. They are coming, but not very near. You wait and see."
"I never saw such ears, Fred!" said Bess, laughing. "They are so long, I shall call you my rabbit."
Fred rubbed his ears reflectively.
"Yes, they are good size, but I have to see and hear with them both. But what do you think about the boys now?" he added, as Rob, Ted, Sam, and Phil, a noisy quartette, turned in at the gate.
"I think your ears were better than my eyes," answered Bess, as she rose to receive her guests.
"Oh, cousin Bess, we've got lots of specimens!" shouted Rob from afar, and Ted added,—