"I won't either!" cried Kitty, grasping her other arm. "Why, Mops, we simply couldn't live without you!"
"I know it, you old goosey! And I couldn't live without you! The idea! As if any of us four Maynards could get along without any of each other!"
"I just guess we couldn't!" exclaimed King, and then as far as the children were concerned, the subject was dropped.
CHAPTER XV
A RIDE IN MAY
At the breakfast table, the next morning, Grandma Maynard announced her intention of keeping her oldest grandchild with her as her own.
Marjorie's mother looked up with a frightened glance at this declaration, and she turned her face appealingly toward her husband. But when she saw the twinkle in his eye, she knew at once there was not the slightest danger of her losing her oldest daughter in this way.
But, apparently by way of a joke, Mr. Maynard saw fit to pretend to approve of his mother's plan.
"Why, Mother," he said, "wouldn't that be fine! This big house needs a young person in it, and as we have four, we ought to be able to spare one. You'll have grand times, Midget, living here, won't you?"
If Marjorie had not been so overcome at the very thought of leaving her own family, she would have realized that her father was only joking; but she had been so truly afraid that her grandmother's wishes might possibly be granted that she couldn't realize her father's intent.