Mrs. Molesworth

“ Pat reddened, but, wonderful to say, did not lose his temper, and before Justin had time to aggravate him still more, there came an interruption in the shape of a boy who suddenly appeared a few paces off, as if he had sprung up out of the earth. He had, in fact, been lying at full length among the heather.
'Master Justin!' he exclaimed. 'I heard you coming along and I've been waiting for you. I were going home from Maxter's,' and he nodded his head backwards, as if to point out the direction whence he had come. ”

“ Rosamond grew redder.
'I don't want to seem unkind,' she said, 'but are boys always like that, Uncle Ted? I don't mean noisy, but so fighting. The big ones teach it to the little ones. I was going to say that I'm sure Ger would be very good-tempered if they didn't tease him so. They all seemed to be teasing each other the whole time.'
'It's boy nature, I'm afraid, to some extent,' said Uncle Ted, 'especially where there are only boys together. It's a pity they haven't a sister or two to soften them down a bit.'
Miss Mouse's eyes grew bright. ”

“ There is a touch of the bully in him that I don't like, and— I don't feel sure that he is always quite straightforward and truthful.'
'That would be worse than anything,' said Aunt Mattie, rather sadly. 'I have tried to draw him and Pat more together, and I think Pat has been more companionable. But I don't feel happy about Justin, either. I don't like his trying to stop little Rosamond's innocent chatter—it is a pity to put it into a child's head that there can be such a thing as "tell-taleing" when children are simple and obedient.'
'Yes,' said her husband, 'I agree with you. ”

“ Archie laughed.
'I was really half joking,' he said. 'I know there aren't really any fairies, nowadays anyway. Pat, don't you go and tell Justin what I was saying, or he'd make fun of me.'
'I'm not going to,' said Pat. 'Jus doesn't care about things like that.'
'I think they're lovely,' said Miss Mouse. 'Fancying about pretty things is almost as nice as having them really, don't you think?'
There was no time, however, for any more talk, for at that moment Justin, followed by Bob, made his appearance at the door. ”

“ Justin had the honesty to confess when the anxiety and distress were to some extent past, though for a few days great care had to be taken of little Rosamond.
It would be difficult to describe the joy with which Uncle Ted carried her off to the carriage waiting at the nearest point on the road, wrapped up in his strong arms so that she couldn't get chilled again, or Aunt Mattie and the Herveys' delight at the happy news of the little lost one being found. These things are more difficult to tell than to picture to oneself. ”

“ Hervey was away. But I daresay a cup of tea will put it all right—it often does,' replied the governess.
'Then why didn't you ask for one early in the day; I'm sure you could get it at any time,' said Aunt Mattie a little coldly. She was feeling rather irritated with Miss Ward for seeming so doleful, for she had come to them with the recommendation of being specially clever in managing boys. She was no longer very young, but active and capable, at least so she had appeared at first. ”

“ I don't believe we'll ever get any.'
'Is that the boy whose old grandmother lives in the queer hut on the moor?' asked Rosamond eagerly. 'I remember the first time I came here you said you'd take me to see it some day. Can't we go that way now?'
'We are going that way,' said Justin. 'You're sure you won't be frightened of the old granny? For if you were, Aunt Mattie wouldn't let you come with us again.'
Rosamond opened her eyes very wide.
'Frightened of her,' she repeated. 'Why should I be? Isn't she a kind old woman?'
'Yes,' said Pat, 'but she's very queer. ”

“ Rosamond did not care particularly which way they went, but she did mind Justin's masterful manner of settling things according to his own wishes, so there was a slight cloud over the little [Pg 125] party following him, and some half-muttered 'too bads' and 'never lets us choose,' from Pat and Archie. But once out on the moorland the bright sunshine and fresh bracing air blew away all cobwebs of discontent.
'How very pretty it is to-day!' said Miss Mouse eagerly, 'I've never seen it like this—the sunshine makes all the colours different, but, oh! how cold it must be in winter when it snows! ”

“ Aunt Mattie did her utmost quietly to keep things smooth, and so did Miss Ward. But Aunt Mattie [Pg 42] was feeling sorry and disappointed, though she tried not to show it.
'I think Pat might do so much to make things better,' she thought to herself. 'He is cleverer than Justin, who is just a great, rough, clumsy schoolboy, not bad at heart, but awfully careless and thoughtless. Pat is not thoughtless, but he keeps himself far too apart from his brothers; if he would try to interest himself in their pleasures a little, he might get to have far more influence. ”

“ Rosamond looked at the cups with still greater admiration.
'I'll be very careful of them,' she said; then, after a pause—'the cups at Moor Edge were so thick. I never saw such thick cups.'
There came a little laugh from Aunt Mattie in her corner at the writing-table.
'Things need to be pretty strong at Moor Edge,' she said.
'Yes,' said Uncle Ted, 'the young men there do a good deal of knocking about, I fancy. How did you get on with them, my little Rose? You are not accustomed to racketty boys. ”

“ Yes, I love my bit o' fire, Master Archie—you're about right there, but all the same I'd rather [Pg 146] face cold than be choked in a town and have no fresh air, like some poor things have to bear their lives.'
'Nance,' said Miss Mouse suddenly; she had been sitting silent watching Bob's granny, 'it's so funny, it seems to me that when you stretch out your hands to the flames they give a little jump towards you and then dance up the chimney ever so much higher than before. Are you a sort of a fairy, dear Nance?'
Pat glanced at the little girl half uneasily. ”

“ Why does Bob Crag muzzle his when he's going to catch rabbits with them?'
'Because they would eat rabbits if they were hungry. Rabbits would be nicer to eat than rats, I should think, though I daresay they'd eat rats too if they were ravenous—and they have to be ravenous when they're used for ratting, to make them eager, for when they've had lots to eat they are sad lazy little beggars.'
'That's like snakes,' said Rosamond, with a small shudder. 'I'm sure I shouldn't like ferrets, Justin. ”

“ He gets blamed for lots of things he doesn't deserve, just because he and old Nancy are strange and queer.'
'I'd like to see them,' said Rosamond. 'It does sound like a fairy story, and it looks like one. Won't you take me to their cottage some day?'
But before either Justin or Archie had time to reply, there came an interruption.
'They're whistling for us,' exclaimed Archie. 'Yes, it's Pat and Aunt Mattie coming across the paddock—and the little ones too. Isn't it nice to hear Aunt Mattie whistling just like she used to, when she lived here? ”

“ I liked her for liking the moor. The next time she comes we can take her a good way across it, as [Pg 65] far as Bob Crag's; she'd like to see the queer cottage.'
'I bet you she'd be frightened of old Nance,' said Justin, with some contempt, 'she'd think her a witch; girls are always so fanciful.'
'You can't know much about girls,' said Pat. 'I'm sure Miss Mouse isn't silly. If she did think Nance a witch she'd like her all the better. You heard what she said about fairy stories.'
'Fairy rubbish,' said Justin. ”

“ I don't care for those that think about nothing except hunting and chasing cats and making a row. I like a dog like your Flip, that sits beside you and understands when you want to be quiet.'
'Flip is a dear,' Aunt Mattie agreed. 'But, O Hec! what are you doing?' for at that moment a pile of toys came clattering down within an ace of Ger's head, from the top shelf of the cupboard, whereupon Ger set up a scream, though he was not the least hurt, and the toys, being principally wooden bricks, were not hurt either. ”

“ For Aunt Mattie had often seen and talked to the old woman, and had a high opinion of her, though she thought it a pity that Nance kept on such distant terms with her neighbours, and she feared too that his grandmother was not quite strict enough with Bob, as there was no doubt that the prejudice against the boy's wild, untameable ways was doing him harm, and would do him still more harm in the future unless it could be got rid of.
'I will talk it over with Ted,' she said to herself. 'He always sees ways out of difficulties. ”

“ Even when I was only two, mamma said I laughed at the niggers singing and dancing at the seaside. Aunt Mattie would think me very silly if I were frightened.'
'She'd be more vexed with us than with you,' said Justin. 'I think on the whole you needn't say anything about the Crags to her. You see you don't quite understand being with boys. We don't go in and tell every little tiny thing we've done. Miss Ward would be sure to find fault with something. And we hate tell-taleing; girls don't think of it the same way.'
'I do,' said Rosamond, flushing a little. ”

“ There was the little stranger, as grave as a judge, taking turn about with the two boys at the crust of bread, and they were laughing with pleasure at her feeding them, and calling out that the bread had honey on it.
"They must be hungry to think that," said the mother; "but the little one has a kind heart, and maybe she's not very hungry herself, though she's so poorly clad," and both she and Robin felt happier to see how pleased the boys were. ”

“ I don't see anything cruel about it when they're just muzzled, and as for killing the rats!—they have to be killed.'
'All the same,' said Pat, 'it must be rather horrid to see.'
'It's no horrider than heaps of other things that are awfully jolly too,' said Justin. 'I suppose when you're a man you won't hunt, Pat, for fear you should be in at the death.'
'Hunting's different,' said Pat. 'There's all the jolliness of the riding. ”

“ She looked up coaxingly in Miss Ward's face.
'I don't think it would do to change the hour,' the governess replied. 'But I won't mind if you're not in just to the minute.'
Miss Ward's not often so good-natured as that,' said Justin. 'I suppose she "favours" you because you're a girl, Miss Mouse.'
'I think she's very kind to everybody,' said Rosamond.
'I'm sure she's had nothing to complain of lately,' said Justin. 'We've been as good as good. ”

“ They all said good-bye to their old friend, Rosamond holding up her little face to be kissed as she thanked Nance again, for which she was rewarded by a hearty—'Bless you, my sweet,' and then the whole party of children set off for Moor Edge, Bob making one of them.
'Why is he coming?' said Pat in a low voice to Justin, nodding his head backwards towards Bob, who was walking behind them.
'That's what I've got to tell you about,' said Justin in the same tone. 'It's about the ferrets. He's found a splendid pair after a lot of bother, but he must have the money. ”

“ Justin hesitated.
'No, of course not,' he said at last, 'your own sense might tell you that. We've not got much more than half.'
'Then they must be dearer than you thought at first,' said Pat sturdily. 'I remember quite well you counting that you'd have nearly enough.'
'But these are far better ones,' said Justin. 'You must expect to pay more for a better thing. They won't hurry about the rest of the money once they've got half, or rather more than half.'
'You'll have to pay up some time or other though,' said Pat. ”

“ Aunt Mattie felt as if she had made a mistake in bringing her into it, and almost ashamed of Justin and his brothers.
'Boys,' she said, speaking to the two elder ones, 'you may not like Archie's interfering, but what he says is perfectly true; you are both very rude, though [Pg 15] perhaps you don't mean it. But you know very well how angry you'd be if any one laughed at you. I tell you plainly that unless you can be gentle and more polite I will take Rosamond away, and find other playfellows for her while she is living with your uncle and me.'
Pat said nothing, but Justin got red. ”

“ Can you skate, Miss Mouse?'
The little girl shook her head.
'No, but I'd like very much to learn,' she replied.
'Then I'll teach you,' said Pat, his face getting a little red, for it was not certainly his way to put himself about to be amiable. And he had to suffer for it.
'How polite we are growing all of a sudden,' said Justin, with a laugh. But he could not mock at Pat's offer, for skating was the one thing of outdoor exercises in which the younger brother outshone the elder. [Pg 35]
Aunt Mattie was quick to scent any approach to a quarrel. ”

“ He ran up at once.
'Will you hold the pony for a few minutes?' she was saying, when Rosamond interrupted her.
'It's Bob, auntie,' she said, 'Bob Crag. Of course he'll hold Tony, and may I stay out? I'm quite warm, and I've got the parcels all nicely packed under the rug.'
'Very well,' replied Mrs. Caryll, for she knew the tinsmith's would not be interesting to her little niece, and with a friendly nod to Bob, who was tugging at his cap, she went into the shop, or workroom, for it was scarcely like a shop. ”

“ I know how it is, it's Saturday morning, and Nance has gone to buy her marketings for the week. You see we never come by on Saturdays, so we've not noticed it before.'
'It's too bad of Bob,' said Justin, falling back. 'I'll come home this way, for I must see him to-day.'
'You can come by yourself then,' said Pat. 'I wish to goodness I hadn't given you my money. You worry one's life out when you take a thing in your head.'
Justin was about to make an angry reply, pretty sure to be followed by a quarrel, when Rosamond interposed. ”

“ No house or cottage was to be seen, but a thin waft of smoke rose slowly from the middle of the little planting.
'It's the queerest place you ever saw,' Archie went on. 'Papa says it's something like an Irish cabin, only cleaner and tidier, for Bob's old granny isn't dirty, though she's extremely queer, like her house. People say she's a gipsy, but she's lived there so long that no one is sure where she comes from. [Pg 31] She's as old as old! I shouldn't wonder if she were really Bob's great-grandmother.'
'Has he always lived with her?' asked Rosamond. 'Fancy! ”

“ Pat stepped forward to it, and stood warming his hands over the blaze. [Pg 75]
'And so your papa and mamma are away?' continued the old woman. 'You'll be missing them, though it's not for long.'
'There you are again!' said Pat. 'You know more about us than we do ourselves. We have not heard for certain when they're coming back.'
'I don't mind if they stay away a little longer,' said Justin. 'It's rather fine being alone for a bit. If only we had holidays just now, and Miss Ward was away too, it would be very jolly.'
Nance patted his shoulder with her thin brown hand. ”