`` Let 's have a game of tag , '' cried the Prince , swinging himself up to a beam with a sounding slap on Stevie 's shoulder . Regardless of his gloves , Dandy tore after him , and the rest swarmed in every direction as if bent on breaking their necks and dislocating their joints as rapidly as possible . It was a new and astonishing spectacle to Rose , fresh from a prim boarding-school , and she watched the active lads with breathless interest , thinking their antics far superior to those of Mops , the dear departed monkey . Will had just covered himself with glory by pitching off a high loft head first and coming up all right , when Phebe appeared with a cloak , hood , and rubbers , also a message from Aunt Plenty that `` Miss Rose was to come in directly . '' `` All right ; we 'll bring her ! '' answered Archie , issuing some mysterious order , which was so promptly obeyed that , before Rose could get out of the carriage , the boys had caught hold of the pole and rattled her out of the barn , round the oval and up to the front door with a cheer that brought two caps to an upper window , and caused Debby to cry aloud from the back porch , `` Them harum-scarum boys will certainly be the death of that delicate little creter ! '' But the `` delicate little creter '' seemed all the better for her trip , and ran up the steps looking rosy , gay , and dishevelled , to be received with lamentation by Aunt Plenty , who begged her to go and lie down at once . `` Oh , please do n't ! We have come to tea with our cousin , and we 'll be as good as gold if you 'll let us stay , auntie , '' clamoured the boys , who not only approved of `` our cousin '' but had no mind to lose their tea , for Aunt Plenty 's name but feebly expressed her bountiful nature . `` Well , dears , you can ; only be quiet , and let Rose go and take her iron and be made tidy , and then we will see what we can find for supper , '' said the old lady as she trotted away , followed by a volley of directions for the approaching feast . `` Marmalade for me , auntie . '' `` Plenty of plum-cake , please . '' `` Tell Debby to trot out the baked pears . '' `` I 'm your man for lemon-pie , ma'am . '' `` Do have fritters ; Rose will like 'em . '' `` She 'd rather have tarts , I know . '' When Rose came down , fifteen minutes later , with every curl smoothed and her most beruffled apron on , she found the boys loafing about the long hall , and paused on the half-way landing to take an observation , for till now she had not really examined her new-found cousins . There was a strong family resemblance among them , though some of the yellow heads were darker than others , some of the cheeks brown instead of rosy , and the ages varied all the way from sixteen-year-old Archie to Jamie , who was ten years younger . None of them were especially comely but the Prince , yet all were hearty , happy-looking lads , and Rose decided that boys were not as dreadful as she had expected to find them . They were all so characteristically employed that she could not help smiling as she looked .
Archie and Charlie , evidently great cronies , were pacing up and down , shoulder to shoulder , whistling `` Bonnie Dundee '' ; Mac was reading in a corner , with his book close to his near-sighted eyes ; Dandy was arranging his hair before the oval glass in the hat-stand ; Geordie and Will investigating the internal economy of the moon-faced clock ; and XXXXX lay kicking up his heels on the mat at the foot of the stairs , bent on demanding his sweeties the instant Rose appeared .
Debby Jamie Phebe Rose boarding-school creter dears plum-cake rubbers tarts