Our Next-Door Neighbors   By: Belle Kanaris Maniates

By Belle K. Maniates

AMARILLY OF CLOTHES LINE ALLEY

MILDEW MANCE

OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS

[Illustration: "What's your rush?" I asked, when I had overtaken him. FRONTISPIECE. See page 114. ]

OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS

By

Belle Kanaris Maniates

With illustrations by

Tony Sarg

Boston

Little, Brown, and Company

1917

Copyright, 1917,

By Little, Brown, and Company.

All rights reserved

Published February, 1917

Norwood Press

Set up and electrotyped by J. S. Cushing Co., Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.

Presswork by The Colonial Press, Boston, Mass., U.S.A.

CONTENTS

I ABOUT SILVIA AND MYSELF 1 II INTRODUCING OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS 9 III IN WHICH WE ARE PESTERED BY POLYDORES 28 IV IN WHICH WE TAKE BOARDERS 45 V IN WHICH WE TAKE A VACATION 61 VI A FLIRT AND A WOMAN HATER 77 VII IN WHICH NOTHING MUCH HAPPENS 90 VIII PTOLEMY DISAPPEARS AND I VISIT A HAUNTED HOUSE 99 IX IN WHICH WE SEE GHOSTS 123 X IN WHICH WE MAKE SOME DISCOVERIES 138 XI A BAD MEANS TO A GOOD END 152 XII "TOO MUCH POLYDORES" 164 XIII ROB'S FRIEND THE REPORTER 173 XIV A MIDNIGHT EXCURSION 195 XV WHAT MISS FRAYNE FOUND OUT 203 XVI PTOLEMY'S TALE 213 XVII ALL ABOUT UNCLE ISSACHAR'S VISIT 229 XVIII IN WHICH I DECIDE ON EXTREME MEASURES 254 XIX WHICH HAS TO DO WITH SOME LETTERS 267 XX "THE MONEY WE EARNT FOR YOU" 276

ILLUSTRATIONS

"What's your rush?" I asked, when I had overtaken him. Frontispiece Uncle Issachar 10 Dr. Felix Polydore 23 "Lucien Wade!" she gasped. "Here are our letters to Beth and Rob." 80 He pleaded eloquently to be taken with us. 102 I babbled aimlessly to myself and then managed to pull together and beat it to the lake 126 The landlady intears waylaid me 132 I had to carry Diogenes most of the way 168 Now and then above his howls, I heard Silvia's plaintive protests outside the door 192 I held out my hand, which he shook solemnly, but with an injured air 224 "He went to the front window and dropped a young kitten down on the old gent's head." 242 "We heard a suppressed sneeze, and Rob pulled Emerald from underneath." 256

OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOURS

CHAPTER I

About Silvia and Myself

Some people have children born unto them, some acquire children and others have children thrust upon them. Silvia and I are of the last named class. We have no offspring of our own, but yesterday, today, and forever we have those of our neighbor.

We were born and bred in the same little home grown city and as a small boy, even, I was Silvia's worshiper, but perforce a worshiper from afar.

Her upcoming had been supervised by a grimalkin governess who drew around the form of her young charge the awful circle of exclusiveness, intercourse with child kind being strictly prohibited.