What we would have done I do not know had not Felicity at that moment appeared in the doorway with panic-stricken eyes and exclaimed , `` Cecily , come here for a moment . '' Cecily , glad of even a temporary respite , fled to the kitchen and we heard her demanding what was the matter . `` Matter ! '' exclaimed Felicity , tragically . `` Matter enough ! Some of you left a soup plate with molasses in it on the pantry table and Pat got into it and what do you think ? He went into the spare room and walked all over Aunt Eliza 's things on the bed . You can see his tracks plain as plain . What in the world can we do ? She 'll be simply furious . '' I looked apprehensively at Great-aunt Eliza ; but she was gazing intently at a picture of Aunt Janet 's sister 's twins , a most stolid , uninteresting pair ; but evidently Great-aunt Eliza found them amusing for she was smiling widely over them . `` Let us take a little clean water and a soft bit of cotton , '' came Cecily 's clear voice from the kitchen , `` and see if we ca n't clean the molasses off . The coat and hat are both cloth , and molasses is n't like grease . '' `` Well , we can try , but I wish the Story Girl would keep her cat home , '' grumbled Felicity . The Story Girl here flew out to defend her pet , and we four boys sat on , miserably conscious of Great-aunt Eliza , who never said a word to us , despite her previously expressed desire to become acquainted with us . She kept on looking at the photographs and seemed quite oblivious of our presence . Presently the girls returned , having , as transpired later , been so successful in removing the traces of Paddy 's mischief that it was not deemed necessary to worry Great-aunt Eliza with any account of it . Felicity announced tea and , while Cecily conveyed Great-aunt Eliza out to the dining-room , lingered behind to consult with us for a moment . `` Ought we to ask her to say grace ? '' she wanted to know .
`` I XXXXX a story , '' said the Story Girl , `` about Uncle Roger when he was just a young man .
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