“Gay!” cried Dolly; “won’t they be s’prised! Come on, Dick, it’s five minutes to one.”
The twins, hand in hand, went into the library, and with their best curtseys were presented to Aunt Penninah.
“These are the children, Aunt Nine,” said Miss Rachel, and Dick and Dolly saw, sitting an a big armchair, the most imposing-looking personage they had ever met.
Miss Penninah Dana was a large and very tall woman, with white hair, and large, piercing black eyes that seemed to see everything.
“H’m; twins, are you?” she said, looking at them over her eyeglasses. “You seem very demure. Are you always so quiet?”
Dick rolled his eyes toward Aunt Rachel.
“Shall we show her?” he whispered, quite ready to pounce on the new aunt if desired.
“Mercy, no!” said Miss Rachel. “Do behave, if you can.”
“Well,” said Dick, answering Aunt Nine’s question, “we’re not always so quiet. But to-day we’re trying to be good because you’re here, and the Reading Circle is coming.”
“But sometimes we’re good when there isn’t company, too,” put in Dolly, not wanting to be misjudged.