She was constantly picking up other youngsters and piloting them on excursions that her ready fancy devised; and if they returned late for meals or otherwise incurred parental displeasure, to Marian it was only part of the joke.

She was always late and ingeniously plausible in excusing herself.

"Mother won't bother; she wants me to have a good time.

And when papa is here he just laughs at me.

Papa's just the best ever." Mrs.Bassett kept lamenting to Professor Kelton her husband's protracted delay in Colorado.