Eight Cousins Page 12

  Chapter 12--"The Other Fellows"

  Rose did tell "the people" what had passed, and no one "howled" overMac, or said a word to trouble him. He had his talk with the doctor, andgot very little comfort out of it, for he found that "just what he mightdo" was nothing at all; though the prospect of some study by and by, ifall went well, gave him courage to bear the woes of the present.Having made up his mind to this, he behaved so well that everyone wasastonished, never having suspected so much manliness in the quiet Worm.

  The boys were much impressed, both by the greatness of the afflictionwhich hung over him and by his way of bearing it. They were very goodto him, but not always particularly wise in their attempts to cheerand amuse; and Rose often found him much downcast after a visit ofcondolence from the Clan. She still kept her place as head-nurse andchief-reader, though the boys did their best in an irregular sort ofway. They were rather taken aback sometimes at finding Rose's servicespreferred to their's, and privately confided to one another that "OldMac was getting fond of being molly-coddled." But they could not helpseeing how useful she was, and owning that she alone had remainedfaithful a fact which caused some of them much secret compunction nowand then.

  Rose felt that she ruled in that room, if nowhere else, for Aunt Janeleft a great deal to her, finding that her experience with her invalidfather fitted her for a nurse, and in a case like this, her youth wasan advantage rather than a drawback. Mac soon came to think that no onecould take care of him so well as Rose, and Rose soon grew fond ofher patient, though at first she had considered this cousin the leastattractive of the seven. He was not polite and sensible like Archie, norgay and handsome like Prince Charlie, nor neat and obliging like Steve,nor amusing like the "Brats," nor confiding and affectionate likelittle Jamie. He was rough, absent-minded, careless, and awkward, ratherpriggish, and not at all agreeable to a dainty, beauty-loving girl likeRose.

  But when his trouble came upon him, she discovered many good things inthis cousin of hers, and learned not only to pity but to respect andlove the poor Worm, who tried to be patient, brave, and cheerful, andfound it a harder task than anyone guessed, except the little nurse, whosaw him in his gloomiest moods. She soon came to think that his friendsdid not appreciate him, and upon one occasion was moved to free her mindin a way that made a deep impression on the boys.

  Vacation was almost over, and the time drawing near when Mac would beleft outside the happy school-world which he so much enjoyed. This madehim rather low in his mind, and his cousins exerted themselves to cheerhim up, especially one afternoon when a spasm of devotion seemedto seize them all. Jamie trudged down the hill with a basket ofblackberries which he had "picked all his ownself," as his scratchedfingers and stained lips plainly testified. Will and Geordie broughttheir puppies to beguile the weary hours, and the three elder ladscalled to discuss baseball, cricket, and kindred subjects, eminentlyfitted to remind the invalid of his privations.

  Rose had gone to drive with Uncle Alec, who declared she was getting aspale as a potato sprout, living so much in a dark room. But her thoughtswere with her boy all the while, and she ran up to him the moment shereturned, to find things in a fine state of confusion.

  With the best intentions in life, the lads had done more harm thangood, and the spectacle that met Nurse Rose's eye was a trying one.The puppies were yelping, the small boys romping, and the big boys alltalking at once; the curtains were up, the room close, berries scatteredfreely about, Mac's shade half off, his cheeks flushed, his temperruffled, and his voice loudest of all as he disputed hotly with Steveabout lending certain treasured books which he could no longer use.

  Now Rose considered this her special kingdom, and came down upon theinvaders with an energy which amazed them and quelled the riot at once.They had never seen her roused before, and the effect was tremendous;also comical, for she drove the whole flock of boys out of the room likean indignant little hen defending her brood. They all went as meekly assheep; the small lads fled from the house precipitately, but the threeelder ones only retired to the next room, and remained there hoping fora chance to explain and apologise, and so appease the irate young lady,who had suddenly turned the tables and clattered them about their ears.

  As they waited, they observed her proceedings through the half-opendoor, and commented upon them briefly but expressively, feeling quitebowed down with remorse at the harm they had innocently done.

  "She's put the room to rights in a jiffey. What jacks we were to letthose dogs in and kick up such a row," observed Steve, after a prolongedpeep.

  "The poor old Worm turns as if she was treading on him instead ofcuddling him like a pussy cat. Isn't he cross, though?" added Charlie,as Mac was heard growling about his "confounded head."

  "She will manage him; but it's mean in us to rumple him up and thenleave her to smooth him down. I'd go and help, but I don't know how,"said Archie, looking much depressed, for he was a conscientious fellow,and blamed himself for his want of thought.

  "No, more do I. Odd, isn't it, what a knack women have for taking careof sick folks?" and Charlie fell a-musing over this undeniable fact.

  "She has been ever so good to Mac," began Steve, in a self-reproachfultone.

  "Better than his own brother, hey?" cut in Archie, finding relief forhis own regret in the delinquencies of another.

  "Well, you needn't preach; you didn't any of you do any more, and youmight have, for Mac likes you better than he does me. I always fret him,he says, and it isn't my fault if I am a quiddle," protested Steve, inself-defence.

  "We have all been selfish and neglected him, so we won't fight aboutit, but try and do better," said Archie, generously taking more thanhis share of blame, for he had been less inattentive than either of theothers.

  "Rose has stood by him like a good one, and it's no wonder he likes tohave her round best. I should myself if I was down on my luck as he is,"put in Charlie, feeling that he really had not done "the little thing"justice.

  "I'll tell you what it is, boys we haven't been half good enough toRose, and we've got to make it up to her somehow," said Archie, who hada very manly sense of honour about paying his debts, even to a girl.

  "I'm awfully sorry I made fun of her doll when Jamie lugged it out; andI called her 'baby bunting' when she cried over the dead kitten. Girlsare such geese sometimes, I can't help it," said Steve, confessing histransgressions handsomely, and feeling quite ready to atone for them ifhe only knew how.

  "I'll go down on my knees and beg her pardon for treating her as if shewas a child. Don't it make her mad, though? Come to think of it, she'sonly two years or so younger than I am. But she is so small and pretty,she always seems like a dolly to me," and the Prince looked down fromhis lofty height of five feet five as if Rose was indeed a pygmy besidehim.

  "That dolly has got a real good little heart, and a bright mind of herown, you'd better believe. Mac says she understands some things quickerthan he can, and mother thinks she is an uncommonly nice girl, thoughshe don't know all creation. You needn't put on airs, Charlie, thoughyou are a tall one, for Rose likes Archie better than you; she said shedid because he treated her respectfully."

  "Steve looks as fierce as a game-cock; but don't you get excited, myson, for it won't do a bit of good. Of course, everybody likes the Chiefbest; they ought to, and I'll punch their heads if they don't. So calmyourself, Dandy, and mend your own manners before you come down on otherpeople's."

  Thus the Prince with great dignity and perfect good nature, while Archielooked modestly gratified with the flattering opinions of his kinsfolk,and Steve subsided, feeling he had done his duty as a cousin and abrother. A pause ensued, during which Aunt Jane appeared in the otherroom, accompanied by a tea-tray sumptuously spread, and prepared to feedher big nestling, as that was a task she allowed no one to share withher.

  "If you have a minute to spare before you go, child, I wish you'd justmake Mac a fresh shade; this has got a berry stain on it, and he mustbe tidy, for he is to go out to-morrow if it is a cloudy
day," said Mrs.Jane, spreading toast in a stately manner, while Mac slopped his teaabout without receiving a word of reproof.

  "Yes, aunt," answered Rose, so meekly that the boys could hardly believeit could be the same voice which had issued the stern command, "Out ofthis room, every one of you!" not very long ago.

  They had not time to retire, without unseemly haste, before she walkedinto the parlour and sat down at the work-table without a word. It wasfunny to see the look the three tall lads cast at the little personsedately threading a needle with green silk. They all wanted to saysomething expressive of repentance, but no one knew how to begin, and itwas evident, from the prim expression of Rose's face, that she intendedto stand upon her dignity till they had properly abased themselves. Thepause was becoming very awkward, when Charlie, who possessed all thepersuasive arts of a born scapegrace, went slowly down upon his kneesbefore her, beat his breast, and said, in a heart-broken tone,

  "Please forgive me this time, and I'll never do so any more."

  It was very hard to keep sober, but Rose managed it and answered gravely,

  "It is Mac's pardon you should ask, not mine, for you haven't hurt me,and I shouldn't wonder if you had him a great deal, with all that lightand racket, and talk about things that only worry him."

  "Do you really think we've hurt him, cousin?" asked Archie, with atroubled look, while Charlie settled down in a remorseful heap among thetable legs.

  "Yes, I do, for he has got a raging headache, and his eyes are as red asas this emery bag," answered Rose, solemnly plunging her needle into afat flannel strawberry.

  Steve tore his hair, metaphorically speaking, for he clutched hischerished top-knot, and wildly dishevelled it, as if that was theheaviest penance he could inflict upon himself at such short notice.Charlie laid himself out flat, melodramatically begging someone to takehim away and hang him; but Archie, who felt worst of all, said nothingexcept to vow within himself that he would read to Mac till his own eyeswere as red as a dozen emery bags combined.

  Seeing the wholesome effects of her treatment upon these culprits, Rosefelt that she might relent and allow them a gleam of hope. She foundit impossible to help trampling upon the prostrate Prince a little, inwords at least, for he had hurt her feelings oftener than he knew; soshe gave him a thimble-pie on the top of his head, and said, with an airof an infinitely superior being,

  "Don't be silly, but get up, and I'll tell you something much better todo than sprawling on the floor and getting all over lint."

  Charlie obediently sat himself upon a hassock at her feet; the othersinners drew near to catch the words of wisdom about to fall from herlips, and Rose, softened by this gratifying humility, addressed them inher most maternal tone.

  "Now, boys, if you really want to be good to Mac, you can do it in thisway. Don't keep talking about things he can't do, or go and tell whatfun you have had batting your ridiculous balls about. Get some nice bookand read quietly; cheer him up about school, and offer to help him studyby and by; you can do that better than I, because I'm only a girl, anddon't learn Greek and Latin and all sorts of headachy stuff."

  "Yes, but you can do heaps of things better than we can; you've provedthat," said Archie, with an approving look that delighted Rose, thoughshe could not resist giving Charlie one more rebuke, by saying, with alittle bridling of the head, and a curl of the lip that wanted to smileinstead,

  "I'm glad you think so, though I am a 'queer chicken."'

  This scathing remark caused the Prince to hide his face for shame, andSteve to erect his head in the proud consciousness that this shot wasnot meant for him. Archie laughed, and Rose, seeing a merry blueeye winking at her from behind two brown hands, gave Charlie's ear afriendly tweak, and extended the olive-branch of peace.

  "Now we'll all be good, and plan nice things for poor Mac," she said,smiling so graciously that the boys felt as if the sun had suddenlyburst out from behind a heavy cloud and was shining with greatbrilliancy.

  The storm had cleared the air, and quite a heavenly calm succeeded,during which plans of a most varied and surprising sort were laid, foreveryone burned to make noble sacrifices upon the shrine of "poorMac," and Rose was the guiding star to whom the others looked with mostgratifying submission. Of course, this elevated state of things couldnot endure long, but it was very nice while it lasted, and left anexcellent effect upon the minds of all when the first ardour hadsubsided.

  "There, that's ready for to-morrow, and I do hope it will be cloudy,"said Rose, as she finished off the new shade, the progress of which theboys had watched with interest.

  "I'd bespoken an extra sunny day, but I'll tell the clerk of the weatherto change it. He's an obliging fellow, and he'll attend to it, so makeyourself easy," said Charlie, who had become quite perky again.

  "It is very easy for you to joke, but how would you like to wear ablinder like that for weeks and weeks, sir?" and Rose quenched hisrising spirits by slipping the shade over his eyes, as he still sat onthe cushion at her feet.

  "It's horrid! Take it off, take it off! I don't wonder the poor old boyhas the blues with a thing like that on"; and Charlie sat looking atwhat seemed to him an instrument of torture, with such a sober face thatRose took it gently away, and went in to bid Mac good-night.

  "I shall go home with her, for it is getting darkish, and she is rathertimid," said Archie, forgetting that he had often laughed at this verytimidity.

  "I think I might, for she's taking care of my brother," put in Steve,asserting his rights.

  "Let's all go, that will please her"; proposed Charlie, with a burst ofgallantry which electrified his mates.

  "We will!" they said with one voice, and they did, to Rose's greatsurprise and secret contentment; though Archie had all the care ofher, for the other two were leaping fences, running races, and havingwrestling matches all the way down.

  They composed themselves on reaching the door, however; shook handscordially all round, made their best bows, and retired with greatelegance and dignity, leaving Rose to say to herself, with girlishsatisfaction, as she went in,

  "Now, that is the way I like to be treated."