“Oh, is that you, Aunt Petra? Yes, thank you, we’re all right. The children are all sound asleep. They were worn out with excitement, you know. They need to get calmed down. What’s that? Dinner? Tonight? Oh, thank you, Aunt Petra, but I don’t think I ought to leave the children. Besides, I’m quite worn out myself. I don’t seem to want to go anywhere. No, I’m not going to brood. I want to keep cheerful for the children’s sake. Stay all night? No, thank you. Not at present. We’re quite all right, Aunt Petra. No, you don’t need to come over and stay with us. We really don’t need anybody. We’d rather be very quiet for a while, you know. Yes, it was kind of you to call. No, we’ll be better eating dinner here. No indeed, we’re not afraid. Yes, I know you have other company. I understand perfectly, Aunt Petra, and it was sweet of you to call, but we’re better off at home just at present.”

Aunt Petra ceased talking at last, and Jennifer hung up with relief, hoping she hadn’t said anything that wasn’t true. The family had always been very particular about speaking the absolute truth, and she didn’t want to overstep the rules she had been taught.

Jeremy appeared at her side as she turned away from the telephone.

“You got by that ordeal pretty well,” he said, grinning. “I don’t fancy it hurt her much that we wouldn’t come. She never was keen on inviting any of us. I don’t think she’ll grieve! But that’s only the beginning. You’ll see; the other aunts will all call up pretty soon. Aunt Pet will tell them we’ve declined her invitation, so they’ll dare try.”

Then the telephone rang again.

“There!” said Jerry. “What did I tell you? But Aunt Petunia certainly got in her work good and quick.”

“Oh, that’s Aunt Majesta, I suppose. They went home together, perhaps, or else they stopped downtown together, and it didn’t take Aunt Petra long to report,” said Jennifer as she hurried back to the telephone.

She came out smiling a minute later.

“That’s just what it was! Aunt Majesta wanted to go on record quickly before I changed my mind. She said she’d love to take two of the little girls for all night, but I told her we were staying together tonight and couldn’t accept any invitations. She even suggested you might like to come to dinner.