to make
a narrow income feed, clothe, and at least half educate their endless
tribe of boys. Roger, the eldest, was at sea; Frederick, the second, in
India; and Alexander owed his more learned education to Uncle Geoffrey,
who had been well recompensed by his industry and good conduct. Indeed
his attainments had always been so superior to those of his brothers,
that he might have been considered as a prodigy, had not his cousin
Frederick been always one step before him.

Fred had greater talent, and had been much better taught at home, so
that on first going to school, he took and kept the higher place; but
this was but a small advantage in his eyes, compared with what he had to
endure out of school during his first half-year. Unused to any training
or companionship save of womankind, he was disconsolate, bewildered,
derided in that new rude world; while Alex, accustomed to fight his
way among rude brothers, instantly found his level, and even extended
a protecting hand to his cousin, who requited it with little gratitude.
Soon overcoming his effeminate habits, he grew expert and dexterous,
and was equal to Alex in all but main bodily strength; but the spirit
of rivalry once excited, had never died away, and with a real friendship
and esteem for each other, their names or rather their nicknames had
almost become party words among their schoolfellows.

Nor was it probable that this competition would be forgotten on this
first occasion of spending their holidays together. Fred felt himself
open to that most galling accusation of want of manliness, on account
at once of his ignorance of country sports, and of his knowledge
of accomplishments; but he did not guess at the feeling which made
Alexander on his side regard those very accomplishments with a feeling
which, if it were not jealousy, was at least very nearly akin to it.

Beatrice Langford had not the slightest claim to beauty. She was very
little, and so thin that her papa did her no injustice when he called
her skin and bones; but her thin brown face, with the aid of a pair
of very large deep Italian-looking eyes, was so full of brilliant
expression, and showed such changes of feeling from sad to gay, from
sublime to ridiculous, that no one could have wished one feature
otherwise. And if instead of being "like the diamond bright," they had
been "dull as lead," it would have been little matter to Alex. Beatrice
had been, she was still, his friend, his own cousin, mo