that I'm sure Ger would be very
good-tempered if they didn't tease him so. They all seemed to be teasing
each other the whole time.'

'It's boy nature, I'm afraid, to some extent,' said Uncle Ted,
'especially where there are only boys together. It's a pity they haven't
a sister or two to soften them down a bit.'

Miss Mouse's eyes grew bright.

'I don't mind their not having a sister,' she said, 'if they'd let me be
like one. Do you think they would, uncle? They were all very nice to
_me_, though they squabbled with each other.'

'They're not bad boys,' said Uncle Ted, 'in many ways. And boys must
fight among themselves more or less, though I think our English ideas
about this go rather too far. I can't stand anything like bullying, and
there's a little of it about Justin.'

'I _think_ I like Archie best of the big ones,' said Rosamond. 'But I'm
not frightened of any of them, though I was a little at first.'

Uncle Ted looked pleased at this.

'That's right, my little girl,' he said kindly. 'It never does any good
to be frightened. And you may be of a great deal of use to Aunt Mattie's
nephews while you're here. I can never forget how much _I_ owed to a
dear little girl cousin of ours when I was a small boy with a lot of
brothers like the Herveys--a very rough set we were too.'

'How nice,' said Rosamond, looking very interested. 'Do I know her,
Uncle Ted?'

He shook his head.

'I don't think so,' he replied. 'She's never been in our part of the
world since she married. But, oddly enough, you rather remind me of her
sometimes, Miss Mouse.'

And when Miss Mouse went to bed that night, her thoughts about Moor Edge
and the five boys there were all very bright and pleasant. It _would_ be
so nice if she could be 'of use to them all,' like that cousin of Uncle
Ted's long ago.

CHAPTER V

Bob

When the boys had watched their aunt and Rosamond drive away, Justin
turned to Archie.

'Come along,' he said, 'I want to go and ask Griffith about the ferrets.
I wonder if Tom Brick has brought them.'

The two walked off together, but they had not gone far before they were
overtaken by Pat, who came running after them.

'What do _you_ want?' said Justin, not too amiably. 'I didn't ask you to
come.'

'You're not my----' began Pat, but checked himself. 'Why shouldn't I
come?' he went on in a pleasanter tone. 'I should like to see the
ferrets too.'

'Yes,' put in Archie, 'why shouldn't he, Justin, if he