“Yes, I know I never had an own brother, but I’ve been a good sister to more of you boys than were ever born even in a Mormon family, and I’ve kept them all for good friends, just such as you’re going to be. No, don’t mope and go over in the corner, because within five minutes you’ll simply have to come back again and sit by Pam and me—so you might as well do it now. “That’s it, stretch and be comfortable! See, chains wouldn’t keep Pam away from you now! Do you know I don’t blame you for squandering your last penny on this bull pup—her points are all right, she has an angel disposition; but she doesn’t forget to whom she belongs for a single minute—it was all I could do to drag her past your coat in the hall! But suppose she barks, how can you keep her here?” “That’s the point, I must take her over to the stable right away; but you’ll be here when I come back, won’t you? I think Brooke said you were stopping here.” “I was, but I guess now that you are here, I’ll go home. I stayed so that Brooke shouldn’t be lonely; besides, I have your room.” “That don’t count,” protested the Cub, “I can sleep here just as well as not.” “Oh, there is one other thing,” added Lucy. “I’m not so sure who there is at the stable or how they would treat Pam, so best not take her there. I’m so glad that you have come home, boy. I dined with dad to-night and tried to learn as much as I could about this money trouble of your father’s, and it is about as bad as can be, and though of course it may be some time before it can be known exactly how things stand, there is little doubt but when what’s left of the apple is divided there won’t be even the core for you all. Of course, if the illness had not come, some arrangement might have been made to tide things over. Suppose you take Pam down to our house to-night, and stay there and have a talk with dad. He will tell Brooke all he knows to-morrow. Don’t go yet, it’s only nine, half an hour later will do as well as now. “Tell me, what is the matter with you, honour bright? Are you really sick or only sort of lazy and shilly-shally, obstinate, discouraged, and crazy to get out of jail? I know the symptoms, for I’ve had them all one by one, in my youth, doing everything by rule, duty the watchword, more mathematics the penalty for forgetting it, and dyspepsia the result. _My_ sons shall be reared in the open, if they never get beyond horse-breaking and cattle-breeding,” and a shiver of sympathy ran down Lucy’s flexible spine, branching off in an odd twisting of her fingers that sent her handkerchief, that she had rolled into a ball to amuse the pup, flying across the room, much to the amusement of Pam, who caught it, and made her master jump to rescue the roll of cambric and lace from her investigating paws.