Father brought us quite a bunch of mail. In it was a letter from Dee telling the good news that they were going to motor down to Bracken on Friday, the very next day, and stay over Sunday with us. "Now you will know them and they will know you," I exclaimed, hugging Cousin Sue. "I am going to bring them over to see you, too," I promised Sally, noting her wistful expression. Silent Jo Winn, who had come back from the station with Father, grinned with delight when he heard that the Tuckers were coming. I remembered on our memorable deer hunt of the winter before how Dee had won his shy heart and had actually made him talk just like other folks. "I tell you what let's do," he ventured. "This young cousin of ours, Reginald Kent, is to be here to-night and he has to go over to Uncle Peter's cabin to take some pictures. What's the reason we couldn't all go on a picnic? We might fish in the river near Uncle Peter's, where Miss Dum Tucker shot her deer." "Splendid!" from Cousin Sue and me. Cousin Sue was always in for a picnic. Sally Winn gasped and clutched her heart until I thought we'd have to run for her pink medicine; but she pulled herself together. It was nothing but astonishment at the long speech from Jo. Jo actually stringing words together and getting up a picnic! It was too much for Sally, but she rose to the occasion with plans for a big lunch. "I've a ham all cooked--and some blue Dominicker chickens that have just reached the frying size--I'll make some fried pies--and some light rolls--some Columbus eggs would eat good--and my pear pickle can't be beat, and a stem to every one so you can eat it without messing yourself up----" "I have some news that is not quite so entrancing as yours, my dear," said Father, interrupting Sally's flow of eatables as he read from a fat, crested, vellum letter. "Cousin Park Garnett will be with us to-morrow, also." "But she said Monday next, in her last letter!" "She has changed her mind. She arrives on the afternoon train and will bring her pug with her." "Pug!" "Yes, it seems the pug is the reason for her coming sooner. The doctor thinks he needs a change of air." "Heavens! And Dee is bringing Brindle, too!" "Well, they'll have to fight it out." "But, Father," I wailed, "can we go on and have the picnic?" "Yes, my dear," broke in Cousin Sue. "I'll stay with Cousin Park." "Indeed you won't!" declared Father. "Cousin Park can be invited to go to the picnic, which of course she will not do. She can just stay at home with Mammy Susan to wait on her and Miss Pinky Davis to listen to her, while the pug dog breathes in great chunks of change of air. I have some business to attend to over in the neck of the woods near Uncle Peter's, so I can land at the ford for dinner with you."