"I quite agree with you, Ken," said Mr. Fairfield. "My small daughter may not be absolutely perfect, but selfishness is not one of her faults. At least, that's the conclusion I've come to, after observing her pretty carefully through her long and checkered career." "Well, if I'm not selfish, I will certainly become vain if so many compliments are heaped upon me," said Patty, laughing; "and I'm sure I value very highly the opinions of two such wise men." "Oh, say a man and a boy," said young Harper modestly. "All right, I will," said Patty, "but I'm not sure which is which. Sometimes I think papa more of a boy than you are, Ken." "Now you've succeeded in complimenting us both at once," said Mr. Fairfield, "which proves you clever as well as unselfish." "Well, never mind me for the present," said Patty; "I want to talk about some other people, and they are some more of my cousins." "A commodity with which you seem to be well supplied," said Kenneth. "Indeed I am; I have a large stock yet in reserve, and I think, papa, that I'll ask Bob and Bumble to visit me for a few weeks." "Do," said Mr. Fairfield, "if you would enjoy having them, but not otherwise. You've just been through a siege of entertaining cousins, and I think you deserve a vacation." "Oh, but these are so different," said Patty. "Bob and Bumble are nothing like the St. Clairs. They enjoy everything, and they're always happy." "I like their name," said Kenneth. "Bumble isn't exactly romantic, but it sounds awfully jolly." "She is jolly," said Patty, "and so is Bob. They're twins, about sixteen, and they're just brimming over with fun and mischief. Bumble's real name is Helen, but I guess no one ever called her that. Helen seems to mean a fair, tall girl, slender and graceful, and rather willowy; and Bumble is just the opposite of that: she's round and solid, and always tumbling down; at least she used to be, but she may have outgrown that habit now. Anyway, she's a dear." "And what is Bob like?" asked her father. "I haven't seen him since he was a baby." "Bob? Oh, he's just plain boy; awfully nice and obliging and good-hearted and unselfish, but I don't believe he'll ever be President." "I think I shall like your two cousins," said Kenneth, with an air of conviction. "When are they coming?" "I shall ask them right away, and I hope they'll soon come. How much longer shall you be in Vernondale?" "Oh, I think I'm a fixture for the summer. Aunt Locky wants me to spend my whole vacation here, and I don't know of any good reason why I shouldn't." "I'm very glad; it will be awfully nice to have you here when the twins are, and perhaps somebody else will be here, too. I'm going to ask Nan Allen." "Who is she?" inquired Mr. Fairfield.