Chapter 22—Something to do

eminuteyoucame?Haven'tIbeenhome-sickforyou?andnowI'msohappytohaveyoubackIcouldhugyourdearoldcurlyheadoff,”criedRose,astheEncyclopediawentdownwithabang,andsheupwithaspringthatcarriedherintoDr.Alec'sarms,tobekeptthereinthesortofembraceamangivestothedearestcreaturetheworldholdsforhim. PresentlyhewasinhiseasychairwithRoseuponhiskneesmilingupinhisfaceandtalkingasfastashertonguecouldgo,whilehewatchedherwithanexpressionofsupremecontent,ashestrokedthesmoothroundcheek,orheldthelittlehandinhis,rejoicingtoseehowrosywastheone,howplumpandstrongtheother. “Haveyouhadagoodtime?Didyousavethepoorlady?Aren'tyougladtobehomeagainwithyourgirltotormentyou?” “Yes,toallthosequestions.Nowtellmewhatyou'vebeenat,littlesinner?AuntyPlensaysyouwanttoconsultmeaboutsomenewandremarkableprojectwhichyouhavedaredtostartinmyabsence.” “Shedidn'ttellyou,Ihope?” “NotawordmoreexpectthatyouwereratherdoubtfulhowI'dtakeit,andsowantedto'fess'yourselfandgetroundmeasyoualwaystrytodo,thoughyoudon'toftensucceed.Now,then,ownupandtaketheconsequences.” SoRosetoldaboutherschoolinherpretty,earnestway,dwellingonPhebe'shungerforknowledge,andthedelightitwastohelpher,adding,withawisenod, “Andithelpsmetoo,uncle,forsheissoquickandeagerIhavetodomybestorshewillgetaheadofmeinsomethings.To-day,now,shehadtheword'cotton'inalessonandaskedallaboutit,andIwasashamedtofindIreallyknewsolittlethatIcouldonlysaythatitwasaplantthatgrewdownSouthinakindofapod,andwasmadeintocloth.That'swhatIwasreadingupwhenyoucame,andto-morrowIshalltellherallaboutit,andindigotoo.Soyouseeitteachesmealso,andisasgoodasageneralreviewofwhatI'velearned,inapleasanterwaythangoingoveritalone.” “Youartfullittlebaggage!that'sthewayyouexpecttogetroundme,isit?That'snotstudying,Isuppose?” “No,sir,it'steachingandplease,Ilikeitmuchbetterthanhavingagoodtimebymyself.Besides,youknow,IadoptedPhebeandpromisedtobeasistertoher,soIamboundtokeepmyword,amInot?”answeredRose,lookingbothanxiousandresoluteasshewaitedforhersentence. Dr.Alecwasevidentlyalreadywon,forRosehaddescribedtheoldslateandbrownpapercopy-bookwithpatheticeffect,andtheexcellentmanhadnotonlydecidedtosendPhebetoschoollongbeforethestorywasdone,butreproachedhimselfforforgettinghisdutytoonelittlegirlinhisloveforanother.SowhenRosetriedtolookmeekandfailedutterly,helaughedandpinchedhercheek,andansweredinthatgenialwaywhichaddssuchwarmthandgracetoanyfavour, “Ihaven'ttheslightestobjectionintheworld.Infact,IwasbeginningtothinkImightletyougoatyourbooksagain,moderately,sinceyouaresowellandthisisanexcellentwaytotryyourpowers.Phebeisabrave,brightlass,andshallhaveafairchanceintheworld,ifwecangiveittoher,sothatifsheeverfindsherfriendstheyneednotbeashamedofher.” “Ithinkshehasfoundsomealready,”beganRoseeagerly. “Hey?what?hasanyoneturnedupsinceI'vebeengone?”askedDr.Alecquickly,foritwasafirmbeliefinthefamilythatPhebewouldprovetobe“somebody”soonerorlater.