At nine o'clock they were bidden to come home. Some of them were sent for and those who lived near together went in a group. Ben Upham came for his sisters. "I don't see why they couldn't have had boys," said Ben to Polly. "Ever so many of us would have been glad to come." "Well, we didn't have any real boys' plays. But the supper was elegant. And 'Mimy waited so nicely. Cynthia's going to have the back parlor for hers, and Mr. Leverett has bought a new spinet. And she has the most beautiful things----" "Oh, yes, I've seen those;" rather impatiently. "And Mr. Leverett's just splendid!" "I always told you so;" somewhat grumpily. "But I'd rather be up in the study with him and Cynthy than to go to half a dozen parties." "Oh, we weren't in the study at all." "No, that isn't for girls." So he had scored one, after all. It was the general verdict when the tea party was talked over that Cynthia Leverett was in a fair way of being spoiled. A man didn't know how to bring up a girl, and, of course, Miss Winn let her have her own way. Miss Eunice had given in to her sister so long that she gave in to every one else. Friends went to call and found the children had not exaggerated. Now and then a neighbor was asked in to supper, and found Cynthia a nice, modest girl, with no airs of superiority. They had some journeys about. They went up to the bay of Fundy and cruised around, chatting with fishermen and French settlers in their odd costumes, looked at their funny little huts, and were amazed at the children rolling round in the sand and the sun. Cousin Chilian talked to them, but their language was a sort of patois difficult to understand. After that Cynthia was much interested in the French and English war. And the whole country was watching the Corsican who had made himself master of half of Europe. "It is a wonderful world," Cynthia said when they were safe in the study again. "And I wonder if it is narrow and selfish to be glad that you are just you?" He was amused at the idea. But he couldn't recall that he had ever been anxious to change with any one. "And that _you_ are just _you_. I couldn't like any one else as well, not even Cousin Giles, and I do like him very much." Chilian felt a rise of color stealing up his cheek. The preference was sweet, for Cousin Giles was extremely indulgent to her, and he was not a child enthusiast either.