"Everything," demanded Polly, comprehensively.
"All right," he answered, lazily shutting his eyes. "The earth is the planet on which we live, and is about twenty-five thousand miles round; a decimal fraction is one whose denominator is ten, one hundred, one thousand, or and so forth; America was discovered in—"
"Oh, Alan, do be sensible if you can," said Jean. "We know all that stuff. What we want is to hear about these cousins of yours that are coming."
"How did you know anything about them?" asked the boy, in surprise.
"Miss Bean is here," answered Polly. "She went to see your mother on the way, and heard about it." "Oh."
There was a world of disgust in Alan's tone. Presently he went on,—
"Well, everybody will have to hear of it now. I came over to tell you, Poll, but it seems that old woman is in ahead."
"Are they really coming, then?" asked Polly anxiously.
"Hope not," said Alan, rolling over on his face and pulling up a handful of grass; "girls enough round already."
"That's not polite," returned Polly; "but go on."