"He wouldn't if he could help it," said James. "He didn't used to seem as if he could help it. Don't you remember he would tell us it was not the right way, and try to have us be decent, and Lucette would tell mother, and mother would fire him? I wonder how she could! And if she could then, why doesn't she now? I guess he doesn't want to stop her party to bother with us; but if she ever conies and wants to take us back like we were, Malcolm, I'm not going. I _like_ what we got now. Mother always said we were to be gentlemen; but we never could be that way. Father and Mr. Tower and Mr. Dovesky are gentlemen, just as kind, and easy, and fine. When we were mean as could be, and acted like fight-cats, you remember father and Mr. Tower only _held_ us; they didn't get mad and beat us. If mother comes you may go with her if you want to." "I wish she'd come with us!" said Malcolm. "Not mother! We ain't her kind of a party." "I know it," admitted Malcolm slowly. "Sometimes I want her just awful. I wonder why?" "I guess it's 'cause a boy is born wanting his mother. I want her myself a lot of times, but I wouldn't go with her if she'd come today, so I don't know _why_ I want her, but I _do_ sometimes." "I didn't know you did," said Malcolm. "Well I do," said James, "but I ain't ever going. Often I think the queerest things!" "What queer things do you think, James?" "Why like this," said James. "That it ain't _safe_ to let children be jerked, and their heads knocked. You know what Lucette did to Elizabeth? I think she hit her head too hard. She gave me more cake, and said I was a good boy for saying the ice made her sick, but all the time I thought it was hitting her head. I wouldn't be the boy who said that again, if I had to be shot for _not_ saying it, like the French boy was about the soldiers. 'Member that day?" "Yes I do," said Malcolm shortly. "You know you coaxed her off the bench, and I pushed her in!" said James, slowly. "Yes," said Malcolm. "And I kicked her. And I wasn't mad at her a bit. I wonder _why_ I did it!" "I guess you did it because you were more of an animal than a decent boy, same as I pushed her," said James. "I guess I won't ever forget that I pushed her." "Pushing her wasn't as bad as what I did," said Malcolm. "I guess ain't either one of us going to feel right about Elizabeth again, long as we live." "Malcolm, we can't get her back," said James, "but if any way happens that we ever get another little sister, we'll take care of her like father _wanted to_." "You bet we will!" said Malcolm. Next morning the boys had the car ready. They packed in all their bird books, their flower records, and botanies, and were eagerly waiting when the call from Mr. Dovesky came. At once they drove to his home for him, and from there to a music store where a violin was selected for Malcolm.