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〃What is serious？〃 demanded Cyril； coming down the stairway。
〃Can't it wait？ Pete has already sounded the gong twice for
dinner。〃
William made a despairing gesture。
〃Well； come；〃 he groaned。 〃I'll tell you at the table。 。 。 。 It
seems I've got a namesake；〃 he resumed in a shaking voice； a few
moments later； 〃Walter Neilson's child。〃
〃And who's Walter Neilson？〃 asked Bertram。
〃A boyhood friend。 You wouldn't remember him。 This letter is from
his child。〃
〃Well； let's hear it。 Go ahead。 I fancy we can stand theLETTER；
eh； Cyril？〃
Cyril frowned。 Cyril did not know； perhaps； how often he frowned
at Bertram。
The eldest brother wet his lips。 His hand shook as he picked up
the letter。
〃Itit's so absurd；〃 he muttered。 Then he cleared his throat and
read the letter aloud。
〃DEAR UNCLE WILLIAM： Do you mind my calling you that？ You see I
want SOME one； and there isn't any one now。 You are the nearest
I've got。 Maybe you've forgotten； but I'm named for you。 Walter
Neilson was my father； you know。 My Aunt Ella has just died。
〃Would you mind very much if I came to live with you？ That is；
between timesI'm going to college； of course； and after that I'm
going to bewell； I haven't decided that part yet。 I think I'll
consult you。 You may have some preference； you know。 You can be
thinking it up until I come。
〃There！ Maybe I ought not to have said that； for perhaps you won't
want me to come。 I AM noisy； I'll own； but not so I think you'll
mind it much unless some of you have 'nerves' or a 'heart。' You
see； Miss Letty and Miss Annthey're Mr。 Harding's sisters； and
Mr。 Harding is our lawyer； and he will write to you。 Well； where
was I？ Oh； I knowon Miss Letty's nerves。 And； say； do you know；
that is where I do geton Miss Letty's nerves。 I do； truly。 You
see； Mr。 Harding very kindly suggested that I live with them； but；
mercy！ Miss Letty's nerves won't let you walk except on tiptoe；
and Miss Ann's heart won't let you speak except in whispers。 All
the chairs and tables have worn little sockets in the carpets； and
it's a crime to move them。 There isn't a window…shade in the house
that isn't pulled down EXACTLY to the middle sash； except where the
sun shines； and those are pulled way down。 Imagine me and Spunk
living there！ Oh； by the way； you don't mind my bringing Spunk； do
you？ I hope you don't； for I couldn't live without Spunk； and he
couldn't live with out me。
〃Please let me hear from you very soon。 I don't mind if you
telegraph； and just 'come' would be all you'd have to say。 Then
I'd get ready right away and let you know what train to meet me on。
And； oh； sayif you'll wear a pink in your buttonhole I will； too。
Then we'll know each other。 My address is just 'Hampden Falls。'
〃Your awfully homesick namesake；
〃BILLY HENSHAW NEILSON〃
For one long minute there was a blank silence about the Henshaw
dinner…table； then the eldest brother； looking anxiously from one
man to the other； stammered：
〃W…well？〃
〃Great Scott！〃 breathed Bertram。
Cyril said nothing； but his lips were white with their tense
pressure against each other。
There was another pause； and again William broke it anxiously。
〃Boys； this isn't helping me out any！ What's to be done？〃
〃'Done'！〃 flamed Cyril。 〃Surely； you aren't thinking for a moment
of LETTING that child come here； William！〃
Bertram chuckled。
〃He WOULD liven things up； Cyril； wouldn't he？ Such nice smooth
floors you've got up…stairs to trundle little tin carts across！〃
〃Tin nonsense！〃 retorted Cyril。 〃Don't be silly； Bertram。 That
letter wasn't written by a baby。 He'd be much more likely to make
himself at home with your paint box； or with some of William's
junk。〃
〃Oh； I say；〃 expostulated William； 〃we'll HAVE to keep him out of
those things； you know。〃
Cyril pushed back his chair from the table。
〃'We'll have to keep him out'！ William； you can't be in earnest！
You aren't going to let that boy come here；〃 he cried。
〃But what can I do？〃 faltered the man。
〃Do？ Say 'no；' of course。 As if we wanted a boy to bring up！〃
〃But I must do something。 II'm all he's got。 He says so。〃
〃Good heavens！ Well； send him to boarding…school； then； or to the
penitentiary； anywhere but here！〃
〃Shucks！ Let the kid come；〃 laughed Bertram。 〃Poor little
homesick devil！ What's the use？ I'll take him in。 How old is he；
anyhow？〃
William frowned； and mused aloud slowly。
〃Why； I don't know。 He must beerwhy； boys； he's no child；〃
broke off the man suddenly。 〃Walter himself died seventeen or
eighteen years ago； not more than a year or two after he was
married。 That child must be somewhere around eighteen years old！〃
〃And only think how Cyril WAS worrying about those tin carts；〃
laughed Bertram。 〃Never mindeight or eighteenlet him come。 If
he's that age； he won't bother much。〃
〃And thiser'Spunk'； do you take him； too？ But probably he
doesn't bother； either；〃 murmured Cyril； with smooth sarcasm。
〃Gorry！ I forgot Spunk；〃 acknowledged Bertram。 〃Say； what in time
is Spunk； do you suppose？〃
〃Dog； maybe；〃 suggested William。
〃Well； whatever he is； you will kindly keep Spunk down…stairs；〃
said Cyril with decision。 〃The boy； I suppose I shall have to
endure； but the dog！〃
〃Hm…m； well； judging by his name；〃 murmured Bertram； apologetically；
〃it may be just possible that Spunk won't be easily controlled。 But
maybe he isn't a dog； anyhow。 Heersounds something like a
parrot to me。〃
Cyril rose to his feet abruptly。 He had eaten almost no dinner。
〃Very well；〃 he said coldly。 〃But please remember that I hold you
responsible； Bertram。 Whether it's a dog； or a parrot； oror a
monkey； I shall expect you to keep Spunk down…stairs。 This
adopting into the family an unknown boy seems to me very absurd
from beginning to end。 But if you and William will have it so； of
course I've nothing to say。 Fortunately my rooms are at the TOP of
the house；〃 he finished； as he turned and left the dining…room。
For a moment there was silence。 The brows of the younger man were
uplifted quizzically。
〃I'm afraid Cyril is bothered；〃 murmured William then； in a
troubled voice。
Bertram's face changed。 Stern lines came to his boyish mouth。
〃He is always botheredwith anything； lately。〃
The elder man sighed。
〃I know； but with his talent〃
〃'Talent'！ Great Scott！〃 cut in Bertram。 〃Half the world has
talent of one sort or another； but that doesn't necessarily make
them unable to live with any one else！ Really； Will； it's becoming
seriousabout Cyril。 He's getting to be； for all the world； like
those finicky old maids that that young namesake of yours wrote
about。 He'll make us whisper and walk on tiptoe yet！〃
The other smiled。
〃Don't you worry。 You aren't in any danger of being kept too
quiet； young man。〃
〃No thanks to Cyril； then；〃 retorted Bertram。 〃Anyhow； that's one
reason why I was for taking the kidto mellow up Cyril。 He needs
it all right。〃
〃But I had to take him； Bert；〃 argued the elder brother； his face
growing anxious again。 〃But Heaven only knows what I'm going to do
with him when I get him。