She laughed, while she chose one of the apples that lay beside her, and plunged her strong young teeth into it. "Yes, I'm Teddy," she said, with her mouth somewhat too full for elegance. "My real name is Theodora," she added, speaking rather more distinctly. "I think I like the other best," the boy replied, laughing in his turn. "I don't. Teddy is like a boy; but Theodora is stately and dignified. I want to be called Theodora; but in a family like ours, there are bound to be nicknames." "You aren't the only one, then?" "Mercy, no! There are five of us." "How jolly it must be! I'm the only one." The boy's tone was a bit wishful. "Are they all like you?" "I hope not." Theodora's laugh rang out a second time, hearty and infectious. "There are two good ones, and two bad ones, and a baby." "Which are you?" the boy asked mischievously. "What a question! I'm bad, of course, that is, in comparison with Hope. She's the oldest, and we get worse as we go down the line. I shudder to think what the baby may develop into." The boy nestled down contentedly among his cushions and watched her with merry eyes. "Go on and tell about them," he urged. "It's such fun to hear about a large family." Theodora's quick eye saw that one of the cushions was slipping to one side. She replaced it with a deftness of touch natural to her, yet seemingly incongruous with her harum-scarum ways. Then she settled herself with her back against a tree, facing her new friend. "Hope is past seventeen and an angel," she said; "one of the good, quiet kind with yellow hair and not any temper. She's had all the care of us, since my mother died. Then there's Hubert, my twin brother. He's my boy, and a splendid one. You'll like Hu. Phebe is ten, and a terror. Nobody ever knows what she'll do or say next. We call her Babe, but Allyn is the real baby. He's cunning and funny, except when Babe teases him, and then he rages like a little monster. That's all there are of us." "And you live just over the fence?" "Yes, we've lived there always, grown up with the place. People used to call it McAlister's Folly; but they're more respectful now." "McAlister?" "Yes. I'm Dr. McAlister's daughter. Didn't you know it?" "How should I? Remember, you came down out of a tree." They both laughed. "That's just like me," Theodora returned. "I never do the thing I ought. Hu was coming over here in a few days; but Hope said I must wait to see what papa said." "What for?" "Because you're a boy. She said girls don't go to see boys. I told her I would wait, and here I am. I couldn't help it; but Hope will be horrified. She never went to see a boy in her life; but then, she's used to being horrified at me." Theodora appeared to be arguing out the situation, much to her own frank amusement.