Eight Cousins

ttake it as well as you did the last, but you will like it better a

le's remedies, and wasalways ready to try a new one. The last had been a set of lightgardening tools, with which she had helped him put theflower-beds in order, learning all

asked, shutting her wo

athing, so I know it issomething to do with a dreadful boat."Putting on the new suit of blue flannel, prettily trimmed withwhite, and the little sailor-hat with long streamers, diverted hermind from the approaching trial, till a shrill whistle rem

nie Belle' is a pretty name," shesaid,

you are readyto learn to row.""Do all boats wiggle about in t

en the sea is a bit rough,"answered her s

eastward, but we are allright till the wind changes. Come.""Can you

far away?" and, stifling several squeaks of alarm in herpassage, Rose crept to the distant seat, and sa

steering, till she was so absorbed in rememberingwhich was starboard and which la

nd blew freshly inher face, and a few, long swi

nt into the harbour, and I'll giveyou a glimpse of China in twenty minutes or so.""I should li

stood familiar houses,stately, cosy, or picturesque. As they rounded the Point, the greatbay opened before t

for she had never seen this aspecto

ll be sure to laugh atthe odd names and the pig-tails and the slanting eyes. Please let mejust trot round after you; I like that best.""Very well; now steer toward the wharf where the big ship with thequeer flag is. That's the 'Rajah,' and we will go aboard if we can."In among the ships they went, by the wharves where the water wasgreen and still, and queer barnacles grew on the slippery piles. Oddsmells saluted her nose, and odd sights met

action ofpoking her inquisitive little nose into every avai

the worldwith me in a jolly old craft like this?" asked

as this. We would go in a yacht all clean andcomfortable; Charlie says that is

in with the Celestials."After a delightful progress through the great warehouse, peepingand picking as they went, they found Uncle Mac and the yellowgent

dragon on the other, and, what was still moreembarrassing, Fun See sat on a tea-chest i

d him a failure. But Fun See wasdelightfully Chinese from his junk-like shoes to the button on hispagoda hat; for he had got himself up in style, and was a mass ofsilk jackets and slouchy trousers. He was s

as only a lad, though he looked nearly as oldas Mr. Whang Lo. Rose said she would be kind; but had not theleast idea how to entertain the queer guest, who

one another, and seemed to enjoy thejoke of this making acquaintance under difficulties. Taki

ot, which caused her to clasp her hands with delight, for it wasmade in the likeness of a plump little Chinaman. His hat was thecover, his queue the handle, and his pipe the nose. It stood

y completed theset, and made one long to have a "dish

tea-chest, and, having no other means of communication, they satsmiling and nodding at one another in an absurd sort of way till anew idea seemed to strike Fun. Tumbling off his seat, he wa

eretalking over all sorts of things, and she listened attentively, storingup much of what she heard, for she had an excellent

ffling back, bearing what she thought was a small sword, till heunfurled an immense fan, and presented it with a string o

ly lady, with blue knitting-needles in her hair, satdirectly upon the spire of a stately pagoda. In another charmingview a brook appeared to flow in at the front door of a stoutgentleman's house, and ou

breeze from the big fan that blew his hair into his eyes, andreminded him that they must go. So the pretty china was repacked,Rose furled her fan, and with several parcels of choice teas for theol

hadow of the "Rajah."She certainly did, for Mr. Whang Lo had given her a Chineseumbrella; Uncle Alec had g

graphy, is it?" asked her uncle,who h

off the answers as fast as I could go. No oneexplained anything to us, so all I remember is that tea and silkcome from there, and the women have little

tone of despairthat made Uncle Alec's face brighten with a look of genuinepleasure as he said significantly"Next time I go I shall take my little anchor with me. How will thatsuit?""Really, uncle?""Really, niece."Rose gave a little bounce of rapture which caused the boat to"wiggle" in a way that speedily quieted her down. But she satbeaming joyfully and trying to think which

see Charlie laughing over hisshoulder. Row, uncle, row! Oh, please do, and not let them catchup

with a long steadysweep of the oars that carried

g the rudder ropes in a most unseamanlike way, and just asshe got right again her hat blew off. That put an end to the race,and while th

a blue-fish," he answered, as the dri

hangof it. Isn't he great fun, though?""No, little Fun.""Come, stop joking, and show us what you've got.""You'd better hoist that fan for a sail.""Lend Dandy your umbr

soon as you can, or your mother will beanxious, Archie.""Ay, ay, skipper. Good-night, Rose; come

ater from the"Petrel's" crew came a verse from on

ppy we are,We live in a

away, with a pea-green sail,And whistle and warble

e Jumblies live;Their heads are green, and their