Billy began to laugh again, yet she was plainly trying to control herself.
“I'll tell you. I must tell you. Aunt Hannah is keeping him up-stairs so I can tell you,” she panted. “But it was so funny, when I expected a girl, you know, to see him with his brown beard, and he was so tall and big! And, of course, it made me think how I came, and was a girl when you expected a boy; and Mrs. Carleton had just said to-day that maybe this girl would even things up. Oh, it was so funny!”
“Billy, my-my dear,” remonstrated Uncle William, mildly.
“But what is his name?” demanded Cyril.
“Did the creature sign himself 'Mary Jane'?” exploded Bertram.
“I don't know his name, except that it's 'M. J.'—and that's how he signed the letters. But he is called 'Mary Jane' sometimes, and in the letter he quoted somebody's speech—I've forgotten just how—but in it he was called 'Mary Jane,' and, of course, Aunt Hannah took him for a girl,” explained Billy, grown a little more coherent now.
“Didn't he write again?” asked William.
“Yes.”
“Well, why didn't he correct the mistake, then?” demanded Bertram.
Billy chuckled.