st quietly to keep things smooth, and so did
Miss Ward. But Aunt Mattie was feeling sorry and disappointed, though
she tried not to show it.

'I think Pat might do so much to make things better,' she thought to
herself. 'He is cleverer than Justin, who is just a great, rough, clumsy
schoolboy, not bad at heart, but awfully careless and thoughtless. Pat
is not thoughtless, but he keeps himself far too apart from his
brothers; if he would try to interest himself in their pleasures a
little, he might get to have far more influence. I must speak to him
again.'

And so she did. There was an opportunity for a little more talk when tea
was over and before the pony-carriage came round. Pat was quick at
noticing things, and he saw that his aunt's sweet face was less cheerful
than usual.

'You're not vexed with me now, auntie,' he said, half wistfully. 'I know
it was rather disgusting, that row at tea-time. Miss Mouse won't want to
come much to see us.'

'I hope she will,' said Mrs. Caryll. 'Of course I was ashamed for her to
hear of those quarrels between you and Justin, Pat. How is it you can't
get on better with him? Archie does.'

'Archie's better tempered than me, I suppose,' said Pat, 'and then he
daren't check Jus; he's a good bit younger, you see. And then they care
for the same sort of things'----

'Ah yes, there's a good deal in that,' she said. 'If you could manage to
show some interest in Justin's games and animals and all these things,
instead of reading quite so much, you might win him by sympathy and
really make home life happier.'

'It hasn't been very happy, lately, I know. And it worries mamma,' said
Pat gruffly. 'Aunt Mattie, I'll try. But I wish you were here again.'

CHAPTER IV

WANTED--A SISTER

Aunt Mattie seemed rather absent-minded during the drive back--quite
different from what she had been on their way to Moor Edge, which was
the name of the boys' home. _Then_ she had talked brightly and
cheerfully, pointing out the places they passed--here a wood famed for
the earliest primroses, there a cottage burnt down so long ago that no
one could remember how it happened, though the dreary, blackened remains
still stood, and amusing Rosamond as well with stories of 'the boys' and
all their doings.

But the little girl was not sorry that now it was different. She was
feeling tired and very puzzled. In one way the afternoon's visit had
brought her a good deal of disappointment--her new frien