Chapter 6—Uncle Alec's Room

eother. “Well,dear,andhowarethingsgoingwithyounow?Better,Ihope,thantheywereaweekago.” “AuntJessie,IthinkI'mgoingtobeveryhappy,nowunclehascome.Hedoesthequeerestthings,butheissogoodtomeIcan'thelplovinghim”and,nestlingclosertolittleMum,Rosetoldallthathadhappened,endingwitharapturousaccountofthesplendidbox. “Iamveryglad,dear.But,Rose,Imustwarnyouofonethingdon'tletunclespoilyou.” “ButIliketobespoilt,auntie.” “Idon'tdoubtitbutifyouturnoutbadlywhentheyearisoverhewillbeblamed,andhisexperimentproveafailure.Thatwouldbeapity,wouldn'tit?whenhewantstodosomuchforyou,andcandoitifhiskindheartdoesnotgetinthewayofhisgoodjudgment.” “Ineverthoughtofthat,andI'lltrynottobespoilt.ButhowcanIhelpit?”askedRoseanxiously. “Bynotcomplainingofthewholesomethingshewantsyoutodobygivinghimcheerfulobedienceaswellasloveandevenmakingsomesmallsacrificesforhissake.” “Iwill,Itrulywill!andwhenIgetinaworryaboutthingsmayIcometoyou?Uncletoldmeto,andIfeelasifIshouldn'tbeafraid.” “Youmay,darlingthisistheplacewherelittletroublesarebestcured,andthisiswhatmothersarefor,Ifancy”andAuntJessiedrewthecurlyheadtohershoulderwithatenderlookthatprovedhowwellsheknewwhatmedicinethechildmostneeded. ItwassosweetandcomfortablethatRosesatstillenjoyingittillalittlevoicesaid, “Mamma,don'tyouthinkPokeywouldlikesomeofmyshells?RosegavePhebesomeofhernicethings,anditwasverygoodofher.CanI?” “WhoisPokey?”askedRose,poppingupherhead,attractedbytheoddname. “Mydollydoyouwanttoseeher?”askedJamie,whohadbeenmuchimpressedbythetaleofadoptionhehadoverheard. “YesI'mfondofdollies,onlydon'ttelltheboys,ortheywilllaughatme.” “Theydon'tlaughatme,andtheyplaywithmydollyagreatdealbutshelikesmebest”andJamieranawaytoproducehispet. “Ibroughtmyolddoll,butIkeepherhiddenbecauseIamtoobigtoplaywithher,andyetIcan'tbeartothrowheraway,I'msofondofher,”saidRose,continuingherconfidencesinawhisper. “YoucancomeandplaywithJamie'swheneveryoulike,forwebelieveindolliesuphere,”beganAuntJessie,smilingtoherselfasifsomethingamusedher. JustthenJamiecameback,andRoseunderstoodthesmile,forhisdollyprovedtobeaprettyfour-year-oldlittlegirl,whotrottedinasfastasherfatlegswouldcarryher,andmakingstraightfortheshells,scrambledupanarmful,saying,withalaughthatshowedherlittlewhiteteeth, “AllforDimmyandme,forDimmyandme!” “That'smydollyisn'tsheaniceone?”askedJamie,proudlysurveyinghispetwithhishandsbehindhimandhisshortlegsratherfarapartamanlyattitudecopiedfromhisbrothers. “Sheisadeardolly.ButwhycallherPokey?”askedRose,charmedwiththenewplaything. “Sheissuchaninquisitivelittlebody