帕齐和露易丝都收到了堂兄肯尼思的来信，他在信中说自己遇到了一堆麻烦，现在感到孤独、沮丧，看不到一丝希望，想要找人倾诉，否则就要疯掉了。约翰叔叔听完侄女们对信的大意的传达后建议大家不要等闲视之，应该去帮肯尼思摆脱困境。他们决定尽快动身。肯尼思究竟遇到了什么麻烦呢？
"Daddy，"said Patricia Doyle at the breakfast table in her cosy New York apartment，"here is something that will make you sit up and take notice.""My dear Patsy，"was the reply，"it's already sitting up Iam，an'taking waf？esa.If anything at all would make me take notice it's your own pretty phizb.""Major，"remarked Uncle John，helping himself towaf？es from a fresh plate Nora brought in，"you Irish are such con？rmed f latterersc that you ？atter your own daughters.Patsy isn't at all pretty this morning.She's too red and freckledd."Patsy laughed and her blue eyes danced.
"That comes from living on your old farm at Millville，"she retorted."We've only been back three days，and the sunburn sticks to me like a burre to a kitten.""Pay no attention to the ould rascal，Patsy，"advised theMajor，composedly."An'stop wavin'that letter like a white ？ag of surrender.Who's it from？""Kenneth.""Aha！An'how is our lad？""Why，he's got himself into a peck of troublef.That's what I want to talk to you and Uncle John about，"she replied，her happy face growing as serious as it could everbecome.
"Can't he wiggle out？"asked Uncle John."Out of what？""His trouble.""It seems not.Listen—""Oh，tell us about it，lassiea，"said the Major."If I judge right there's some sixty pages in that epistleb.Don't bother to read it again.""But every word is important，"declared Patsy，turningthe letter over，"—except the last page，"with a swift ？ush.
Uncle John laughed.His shrewd old eyes saw everything."Then read us the last page，my dear.""I'll tell you about it，"said Patsy，quickly."It's this way，you see.Kenneth has gone into politics！""More power to his elbowc！"exclaimed the Major.
"I can't imagine it in Kenneth，"said Uncle John，soberlyd."What's he in for？""For—for—let's see.Oh，here it is.For member of the House of Representatives from the Eighth District.""He's ？ying high，for a ？edglinge，"observed the Major.
"But Kenneth's a bright lad and a big gunf in his county.He'll win，hands downg."Patsy shook her head.
"He's afraid not，"she said，"and it's worrying him to death.He doesn't like to be beaten，and that's what's troubling him."Uncle John pushed back his chair.
"Poor boy！"he said."What ever induced him to attempt such a thing？""He wanted to defeat a bad man who now represents Kenneth's district，"explained Patsy，whose wise little head was full of his friend's dif？culties；"and—""And the bad man objects to the idea and won't be defeated，"added the Major."It's a way these bad men have."Uncle John was looking very serious indeed，and Patsy regarded him gratefully.Her father never would be serious where Kenneth was concerned.Perhaps in his heart the grizzleda old Major was a bit jealous of the boy.
"I think，"said the girl，"that Mr.Watson got Ken intopolitics，for he surely wouldn't have undertaken such a thing himself.And，now he's in，he ？nds he's doomed to defeat；and it's breaking his heart，Uncle John."The little man nodded silently.His chubbyb face was for once destitutec of a smile.That meant a good deal with Uncle John，and Patsy knew she had interested him in Kenneth's troubles.
"Once，"said the Major，from behind the morning paper，"I was in politics，meself.I ran for coroner an'got two whole votes—me own an'the undertaker's.It's because the public's so indiscriminatinga that I've not run for anything since—except th'street—car.""But it's a big game，"said Uncle John，standing at the window with his hands deep in his pockets；"and an important game.Every good American should take an interest in politics；and Kenneth，especially，who has such large landed interests，ought to direct the political affairs of his district.""I'm much interested in politics，too，Uncle，"declaredthe girl."If I were a man I'd—I'd—be President！""An'I'd vote fer ye twenty times a day，mavourneenb！"cried the Major."But luckily ye'll be no president—unless it's of a woman's club.""There's the bell！"cried Patsy."It must be the girls.Noone else would call so early.""It's Beth's voice，talking to Nora，"added her father，listening；and then the door ？ew open and in came two girls whose bright and eager faces might well warrant the warm welcome they received.
"Oh，Louise，"cried Patsy，"however did you get up soearly？""I've got a letter from Kenneth，"was the answer，"and I'mso excited I couldn't wait a minute！""Imagine Louise being excited，"said Beth，calmly，as she kissed Uncle John and sat down by Patsy's side."She read her letter in bed and bounced out of bed like a cannon—ball.We dressed like the 'lightning changea'artist at the vaudevilleb，and I'm sure our hats are not on straight.""This bids fair toc be a strenuousd day，"observed theMajor."Patsy's had a letter from the boy，herself.""Oh，did you？"inquired Louise；"and do you know all about it，dear？""She knows sixty pages about it，"replied Major Doyle."Well，then，what's to be done？"The question was addressed to Patsy，who was not prepared to reply.The three cousins ？rst exchanged inquiring glances and then turned their eager eyes upon the broad chubby back of Uncle John，who maintained his position at the window as if determined to shut out the morning sunlight.