‘Bother the whooping-cough.’

‘And welcome; but you would find it bother you, I believe.’

’I shouldn’t catch it.  I want Wilfred, and to ride the pony, and see the sluice that Uncle Maurice made.’

‘You couldn’t if you had the cough.’

’Then I should stay there instead of coming back to school!  I say it is horrid, and beastly, and abominable, and—–­’

‘Come, come, Fergus,’ here put in Gillian, ‘that is very wrong.’

‘You don’t hear Gill and me fly out in that way,’ added Valetta, ‘though we are so sorry about Mysie and Fly.’

’Oh, you are girls, and don’t know what is worth doing.  I will say it is beast—–­’

’Now don’t, Fergus; it is very rude and ungrateful to the aunts.  None of us like having to stay here and lose our holiday; but it is very improper to say so in their own house, and I thought you were so fond of Aunt Jane.’

‘Aunt Jane knows a thing or two, but she isn’t Wilfred.’

‘And Wilfred is always teasing you.’

‘Fergus is quite right,’ said Miss Mohun, who had been taking off her galoshes in the vestibule while this colloquy was ending in the dining-room; ’it is much better to be bullied by a brother than made much of by an aunt, and you know I am very sorry for you all under the infliction.’

‘Oh, Aunt Jane, we know you are very kind, and—–­’ began Gillian.

’Never mind, my dear; I know you are making the best of us, and I am very much obliged to you for standing up for us.  It is a great disappointment, but I was going to give Fergus a note that I think will console him.’

And out of an envelope which she had just taken from the letter-box she handed him a note, which he pulled open and then burst out, ‘Cousin David!  Hurrah!  Scrumptious!’ commencing a war-dance at the same moment.

‘What is it?  Has David asked you?’ demanded both his sisters at the same moment.

’Hurrah!  Yes, it is from him.  “My dear Fergus, I hope”—–­hurrah—–­ “Harry, mm—–­mm—–­mm—–­brothers, 20th mm—–­mm.  Your affectionate cousin, David Merrifield."’

‘Let me read it to you,’ volunteered Gillian.

‘Wouldn’t you like it?’

’How can you be so silly, Ferg?  You can’t read it yourself.  You don’t know whether he really asks you.’

Fergus made a face, and bolted upstairs to gloat, and perhaps peruse the letter, while Valetta rushed after him, whether to be teased or permitted to assist might be doubtful.

‘He really does ask him,’ said Aunt Jane.  ’Your cousin David, I mean.  He says that he and Harry can put up all the three boys between them, and that they will be very useful in the Christmas festivities of Coalham.’

‘It is very kind of him,’ said Gillian in a depressed tone.

‘Fergus will be very happy.’

’I only hope he will not be bent on finding a coal mine in the garden when he comes back,’ said Aunt Jane, smiling; ’but it is rather dreary for you, my dear.  I had been hoping to have Jasper here for at least a few days.  Could he not come and fetch Fergus?’