"I won't."

"Can we do anything for you?" said both.

"Take my things away, and have dinner early."

Both departed to perform these behests, and, leaning back in her
chair, Aunt Kipp reposed.

"I say, what's a bore?" asked Toady from the rug, where he sat rocking
meditatively to and fro, holding on by his shoe-strings.

"It's a kind of a pig, very fierce, and folks are afraid of 'em," said
Aunt Kipp, whose knowledge of Natural History was limited.

"Good for Polly! so you are!" sung out the boy, with the hearty
child's laugh so pleasant to most ears.

"What do you mean, sir?" demanded the old lady, irefully poking at him
with her umbrella.

"Why, Polly said you were a bore," explained Toady, with artless
frankness. "You _are_ fat, you know, and fierce sometimes, and folks
are afraid of you. Good, wasn't it?"

"Very! Mary is a nice, grateful, respectful, loving niece, and I
shan't forget her, she may depend on that," and Aunt Kipp laughed
grimly.