"Have him!" echoed Bess. "It is easy to say 'have him,' but except for half a dozen drives, he has refused to go out at all; and he won't see any of the boys but Rob. Poor Rob tries to be very devoted, but I dimly suspect Fred is occasionally rather cross."
"Who could blame him?" said Mrs. Carter.
"Rob takes it very meekly," Bess went on, as she slowly peeled an orange. "Fred never shows that side to me, but I think it is there. But it is really scandalous the way Mrs. Allen goes on. Fred is left to himself the whole time, just when he needs so much help physically, mentally, and morally."
"I wish you could have him all the time, Bess," said her mother. "You are good for him, and he enjoys you."
"Let's adopt him, mother! He's splendid material to work on, and I would take him in a minute if I could. Think of me with an adopted son!" And Bess drew herself up with an air of majesty as she began to devour her orange. Suddenly she laughed.
"I was so amused the other day, Saturday it was, when I went down to Fred's in the afternoon. I was later than usual, and Rob happened to be there ahead of me. You know I always go right in without stopping to ring, and that day, as I went, I heard loud voices in the back parlor. I went in there, and found that the boys had evidently been having a quarrel, for Fred had turned his back to Rob, and was decidedly red in the face; while Rob sat there, the picture of discomfort, his face pale, but his eyes fairly snapping. He departed as soon as I went in, and neither boy would tell me what was the trouble. Fred said he didn't feel well, and didn't want to see Rob, anyway. I offered to go away too, but he wouldn't allow that."
"What did Rob say for himself?" asked Mrs. Carter.
"He said he supposed Fred was angry at something he had said in fun. He was quite distressed over it, and offered to apologize, but I advised him to just wait a few days till Fred recovered from his tempers."
"Much the best way," assented Mrs. Carter. "Fred mustn't grow tyrannical. Here come the boys."
It was a needless remark, for at that moment there was heard a sudden chattering of young voices, the sound of ten feet leaping up the steps, and the laughter and stamping as the boys shook off the snow. Fuzz darted to the door, barking madly, while an echo from without took up his voice and multiplied it fivefold. Bess picked up the wriggling little creature, who was carried off by Mrs. Carter; then she admitted her young guests, who came in all talking at once.