is his own
son in that respect. So take care, my dear, take care!" and the old lady
shook her forefinger warningly. "But everything's forgot and forgave
now," she added, more cheerfully; "and right glad I am Miss Agnes is
coming here!"

[Illustration: "MR. RIVERS HAD SUMMONED BOTH BOYS TO HIS STUDY" (_p.
32_).]

Bertie turned away grumbling; he was not a whit wiser than he had been
before, and he felt somehow that he had been reproved, and, more than
that, warned. But he was not very seriously impressed, and he determined
some day to find out the whole history of his Uncle Frank: know exactly
what he did, and why he did it; and as he turned the matter over in his
mind, as he sat perched on the gate, he came to the conclusion that his
was a very strange family, and that there were a great many skeletons
concealed in Riversdale.

"Perhaps Aunt Amy will be sending us a boy or girl cousin some day or
other," he said to Eddie suddenly. "I shouldn't be a bit surprised."

Eddie started from a reverie, and looked questioningly at his brother.
"Aunt Amy? what put her into your head, Bert?"

"I don't know, I'm sure, unless it's Uncle Frank. Don't you think it's
very funny to have a lot of relations you never see, hear from, or speak
about--very exciting, too, to have cousins drop in on you when you least
expect it. I hope, Ned, when you're master of Riversdale, you won't
banish me, and forget my very existence till I'm dead. What did Aunt Amy
do, I wonder?"

"She married some one papa did not approve of--an artist, I think:
that's all," Eddie said gravely. "I think Aunt Amy is very happy, and
I'm sure she is very beautiful. She does not come to Riversdale, because
papa is always ill, I suppose; and perhaps she likes London better, and
she has not got any boys or girls."

"Oh!" Bertie said, opening his eyes wide; "you seem to know all about
them. Who told you?"

"Papa. I asked him one day."

"Oh! and Uncle Gregory: what did he do? He never comes here either;" and
Bertie looked up the road again, as if he did not care very much to hear
the probable reason of that relative's absence.

"Uncle Gregory is a merchant, and has to attend to his business, I
suppose," Eddie replied, rather loftily. "He came here often enough--too
often, I believe--when our mother was alive, and then papa and he
disagreed, and he has not come since."

"Hum!" Bertie said, slipping down and stretching himself. "How did you
find out, Eddie?"