“Grandma would never let us go to see her,” said Dulcie, with conviction. “She says it isn’t proper to call on people she doesn’t know.” “Perhaps it’s more interesting not to know her,” said cheerful Daisy. “It’s so exciting to make up stories about her. She must be rather poor to live away up on the top floor of that boarding-house. I wish we could see her in the street sometimes.” “Maybe we do see her,” said Dulcie; “we haven’t any idea what she looks like. Now, hurry and get undressed, children. It’s pretty cold up here; I think the furnace must be very low.” Daisy and Molly began unfastening their dresses, but Maud still remained with her ear glued to the wall. “Come, Maud, don’t dawdle,” commanded Dulcie, a little impatiently. “I’ll help you undress.” “I want to listen to the singing lady,” objected Maud. “I love music.” “You can listen in bed just as well, and if you stay up in this cold room, you may get another sore throat, and you wouldn’t like that, you know. My goodness! there’s the door-bell. Who can it be at this time of night?” Evening visitors were not frequent at the Winslows’, and Molly was dispatched to peep over the banister. “Perhaps it’s that minister who comes to see Aunt Kate,” said Dulcie, and this opinion was rather strengthened when Molly reported having heard a gentleman’s voice speaking to Mary. Aunt Kate’s visitors were not interesting to the children, and they had almost forgotten the incident of the door-bell, when there came an unexpected tap at the nursery door. “Children,” called Mary’s voice, rather breathless from the three long flights of stairs, “your grandma says you’re to come down right away. Your uncle’s here.” There was a simultaneous exclamation of astonishment from four very excited little girls. “Our uncle! What uncle? Oh, Mary, do tell us quick.” And the door was flung open, revealing four children in various stages of undressing. “His name is Maitland,” said Mary, “and he’s a youngish gentleman. I never saw him before.” “It must be Uncle Stephen; Mamma’s brother from California,” said Dulcie. “I think he’s the only uncle we’ve got. Oh, isn’t it exciting? Hurry, children, do please hurry!” “I can’t go down with my boots unbuttoned,” complained Daisy. “O dear! where’s the shoe buttoner? Fasten your dress, Molly, and take those curlers off Maud’s hair.” “I’ll help you,” said Mary, good-naturedly. “I’m glad you’ve got an uncle to look after you. You’d better tell him a few things before he goes away again.” “What sort of things?” inquired Daisy, innocently. Mary laughed. “Oh, I guess you know as well as I do,” she said, evasively. “If you don’t, so much the better.” “Did our uncle ask for Grandma?” Dulcie wanted to know. “Oh, yes, and she’s in the parlor with him now. So’s Miss Kate.” Dulcie’s face fell. “There isn’t much use in our going down, then,” she said, with a sigh. “Grandma won’t let us talk. She never does when there’s company.”