"And is that all?" cried Fred, to Uncle Leth's astonishment.
Uncle Leth strove to disengage his arm from Fred's. It was cruel of the young man to make light of such a blow. But Fred held Uncle Leth's arm all the tighter, and he could not release himself.
"Do they know it at home?" asked Fred.
"Yes."
"And you have left all of them in trouble?"
"They are heart-broken," sobbed Uncle Leth; "and so am I!"
"Now, Uncle Leth," said Fred, with a comfortable squeeze at Uncle Leth's arm, "just you listen to me a moment. There is nothing to be heart-broken about when you have a friend like me at your elbow."
"Don't mock me, Fred."
"God forbid that I should! What! After all your sweet goodness to my darling Phœbe! after all your kindness to me, to think that I should mock you! I am going to get you out of your trouble. A nice thing friendship would be if it wasn't equal to such a little matter as this!"
"A little matter, Fred! You call it a little matter!"