“Oh yes!” answered Bertie, getting up, but finding himself a little unsteady on his feet. However, with the help of Uncle Fred’s hand, he was able to get along quite easily, and his new friend talked so pleasantly and kindly to him all the way, that he enjoyed the walk very much, and was almost sorry when it was over.
CHAPTER XII.
A PROJECT.
WHEN Uncle Fred returned to his brother’s house, he went in search of his nephews, with the intention of speaking his mind to them pretty freely on the unmanliness of their treatment of little Bertie. But when he opened the schoolroom door, he was assailed by such a chorus of eager voices, that it was some time before he could “get a word in edgeways,” as the saying is.
“Oh, Uncle Fred, how is Bertie now?”
“Oh, Uncle Fred, we’re so awfully sorry!”
“We really did not mean anything.”
“We never guessed he’d care like that.”
“We only meant it in fun, we never thought he’d think we should!”