er
priggish, and not at all agreeable to a dainty, beauty-loving girl like
Rose.

But when his trouble came upon him, she discovered many good things in
this cousin of hers, and learned not only to pity but to respect and
love the poor Worm, who tried to be patient, brave, and cheerful, and
found it a harder task than anyone guessed, except the little nurse, who
saw him in his gloomiest moods. She soon came to think that his friends
did not appreciate him, and upon one occasion was moved to free her mind
in a way that made a deep impression on the boys.

Vacation was almost over, and the time drawing near when Mac would be
left outside the happy school-world which he so much enjoyed. This made
him rather low in his mind, and his cousins exerted themselves to cheer
him up, especially one afternoon when a spasm of devotion seemed
to seize them all. Jamie trudged down the hill with a basket of
blackberries which he had "picked all his ownself," as his scratched
fingers and stained lips plainly testified. Will and Geordie brought
their puppies to beguile the weary hours, and the three elder lads
called to discuss baseball, cricket, and kindred subjects, eminently
fitted to remind the invalid of his privations.

Rose had gone to drive with Uncle Alec, who declared she was getting as
pale as a potato sprout, living so much in a dark room. But her thoughts
were with her boy all the while, and she ran up to him the moment she
returned, to find things in a fine state of confusion.

With the best intentions in life, the lads had done more harm than
good, and the spectacle that met Nurse Rose's eye was a trying one.
The puppies were yelping, the small boys romping, and the big boys all
talking at once; the curtains were up, the room close, berries scattered
freely about, Mac's shade half off, his cheeks flushed, his temper
ruffled, and his voice loudest of all as he disputed hotly with Steve
about lending certain treasured books which he could no longer use.

Now Rose considered this her special kingdom, and came down upon the
invaders with an energy which amazed them and quelled the riot at once.
They had never seen her roused before, and the effect was tremendous;
also comical, for she drove the whole flock of boys out of the room like
an indignant little hen defending her brood. They all went as meekly as
sheep; the small lads fled from the house precipitately, but the three
elder ones only retired to the next room, and re