Chapter 12—“The Other Fellows”

tryanddobetter,”saidArchie,generouslytakingmorethanhisshareofblame,forhehadbeenlessinattentivethaneitheroftheothers. “Rosehasstoodbyhimlikeagoodone,andit'snowonderhelikestohaveherroundbest.IshouldmyselfifIwasdownonmyluckasheis,”putinCharlie,feelingthathereallyhadnotdone“thelittlething”justice. “I'lltellyouwhatitis,boyswehaven'tbeenhalfgoodenoughtoRose,andwe'vegottomakeituptohersomehow,”saidArchie,whohadaverymanlysenseofhonouraboutpayinghisdebts,eventoagirl. “I'mawfullysorryImadefunofherdollwhenJamieluggeditoutandIcalledher'babybunting'whenshecriedoverthedeadkitten.Girlsaresuchgeesesometimes,Ican'thelpit,”saidSteve,confessinghistransgressionshandsomely,andfeelingquitereadytoatoneforthemifheonlyknewhow. “I'llgodownonmykneesandbegherpardonfortreatingherasifshewasachild.Don'titmakehermad,though?Cometothinkofit,she'sonlytwoyearsorsoyoungerthanIam.Butsheissosmallandpretty,shealwaysseemslikeadollytome,”andthePrincelookeddownfromhisloftyheightoffivefeetfiveasifRosewasindeedapygmybesidehim. “Thatdollyhasgotarealgoodlittleheart,andabrightmindofherown,you'dbetterbelieve.Macsayssheunderstandssomethingsquickerthanhecan,andmotherthinkssheisanuncommonlynicegirl,thoughshedon'tknowallcreation.Youneedn'tputonairs,Charlie,thoughyouareatallone,forRoselikesArchiebetterthanyoushesaidshedidbecausehetreatedherrespectfully.” “Stevelooksasfierceasagame-cockbutdon'tyougetexcited,myson,foritwon'tdoabitofgood.Ofcourse,everybodylikestheChiefbesttheyoughtto,andI'llpunchtheirheadsiftheydon't.Socalmyourself,Dandy,andmendyourownmannersbeforeyoucomedownonotherpeople's.” ThusthePrincewithgreatdignityandperfectgoodnature,whileArchielookedmodestlygratifiedwiththeflatteringopinionsofhiskinsfolk,andStevesubsided,feelinghehaddonehisdutyasacousinandabrother.Apauseensued,duringwhichAuntJaneappearedintheotherroom,accompaniedbyatea-traysumptuouslyspread,andpreparedtofeedherbignestling,asthatwasatasksheallowednoonetosharewithher. “Ifyouhaveaminutetosparebeforeyougo,child,Iwishyou'djustmakeMacafreshshadethishasgotaberrystainonit,andhemustbetidy,forheistogooutto-morrowifitisacloudyday,”saidMrs.Jane,spreadingtoastinastatelymanner,whileMacsloppedhisteaaboutwithoutreceivingawordofreproof. “Yes,aunt,”answeredRose,someeklythattheboyscouldhardlybelieveitcouldbethesamevoicewhichhadissuedthesterncommand,“Outofthisroom,everyoneofyou!”notverylongago. Theyhadnottimetoretire,withoutunseemlyhaste,beforeshewalkedintotheparlourandsatdownatthework-tablewithoutaword.Itwasfunnytos