"Give me one!" demanded Cousin Jack.
"And me!" "And me!" begged both the ladies, trying to act like eager children. Mr. Maynard drew more cookies from his pockets and gave them to the others, not, however, including King and Marjorie.
"Now, children, finish your cookies, but don't drop crumbs on the floor," said Midget, choking with laughter at Cousin Jack, who was cramming large bits of his cake into his mouth.
"Please, Mother, may I go and get a drink of water?" he mumbled.
"Yes, Jack, go. And then don't ever take such big bites of cooky again! You children have the worst manners I ever saw!"
And then each one had to have a drink of water, and there was much laughter and scrambling before they were again in order for their lessons.
"Geography, first," said King, picking up a magazine to serve as a pretended text-book.
"Edward, bound Missouri."
"Missouri is bounded on the north,—by,—by,—Kansas, I guess."
"Pshaw! he doesn't know his lesson! let me say it!" exclaimed Cousin Jack. "Missouri is bounded on the north by Kentucky, on the east by Alabama, on the south by New Jersey, and on the west by Philadelphia. It is a great cotton-growing state, and contains six million inhabitants, mostly Hoosiers."