John Habberton

When Harold Burton, 28-year-old bachelor, veteran, and “salesman of white goods” gets an invitation from his sister, Helen, to spend his summer vacation in her comfortable suburban home, reading, enjoying his brother-in-law’s excellent claret, and keeping a benign and distant eye on his nephews, “the best children in the world — everybody says so”, while she and her husband visit an old school-friend, he accepts with alacrity and looks forward to a fortnight's peace and leisure. Half a mile from Helen’s place, his carriage is accosted by two very dirty, very noisy, very determined, little urchins and he begins to realize his mistake. Over the next ten days, Toddy (3) and Budge (5), with “their ways innocent, crafty, angelic, impish, witching and repulsive” (as the subtitle goes) will drive their “Ucken Hawwy”, “Their Latest Victim”, to madness — and win him a bride!