ppened to somebody who has not been used to order you
about as much as Rupert was used to order me.

CHAPTER IV.

A DOUBTFUL BLESSING--A FAMILY FAILING--OLD BATTLES--THE
CANAL-CARRIER'S HOME.

When we found that Rupert's leg was not broken, and that it was only a
severe blow on his knee, we were all delighted. But when weeks and
months went by and he was still lame and very pale and always tired,
we began to count for how long past, if the leg had been broken, it
would have been set, and poor Rupert quite well. And when Johnny
Bustard said that legs and arms were often stronger after being broken
than before (if they were properly set, as his father could do them),
we felt that if Gregory would bowl for people's shins he had better
break them at once, and let Mr. Bustard make a good job of them.

The first part of the time Rupert made light of his accident, and
wanted to go back to school, and was very irritable and impatient. But
as the year went on he left off talking about its being all nonsense,
and though he suffered a great deal he never complained. I used quite
to miss his lecturing me, but he did not even squabble with Henrietta
now.

This reminds me of a great fault of mine--I am afraid it was a family
failing, though it is a very mean one--I was jealous. If I was
"particular friends" with any one, I liked to have him all to myself;
when Rupert was "out" with me because of the Weston affair, I was
"particular friends" with Henrietta. I did not exactly give her up
when Rupert and I were all right again, but when she complained one
day (I think _she_ was jealous too!) I said, "I'm particular friends
with you _as a sister_ still; but you know Rupert and I are both
boys."

I did love Rupert very dearly, and I would have given up anything and
everything to serve him and wait upon him now that he was laid up; but
I would rather have had him all to myself, whereas Henrietta was now
his particular friend. It is because I know how meanly I felt about it
that I should like to say how good she was. My Mother was very
delicate, and she had a horror of accidents; but Henrietta stood at
Mr. Bustard's elbow all the time he was examining Rupert's knee, and
after that she always did the fomentations and things. At first Rupert
said she hurt him, and would have Nurse to do it; but Nurse hurt him
so much more, that then he would not let anybody but Henrietta touch
it. And he never called her Monkey now, and I coul