18 Tom Seven Years Old.

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“You are all my cousins. What are your
names ?”

“Vou know mine,” said Annie; “and that
is Bob, and Jack, and Henry, and May.”

“Oh dear!” cried Tom, “what a number
of new names! And I’ve learnt so many
already. I wish you had only one among you
all, like Tom.”

Little May looked as if she was going to
cry.

“T don’t want to be called Tom,” she said;
but nobody minded her, because she was the
baby. |

Bob was a big boy, so was Jack. Tom
wanted to ask them a great many questions,
and they wanted to ask him a great many;
but Annie told them to wait till he had
finished his tea. |

Very soon afterwards Tom went to bed.
His journal paper and new red pencil were
lying unpacked at the table, but he was too
sleepy to write. Only he settled in his own
mind, the first thing in the morning, to put,
“Cousins are nice creatures; nicer creatures