d nearly to starve him, poor fellow; and his appetite
is returning so fast, that it makes it very difficult to manage him."

"I should be afraid that now would be the time to see the effects of
poor Mary's over gentleness."

"Yes; but what greatly increases the difficulty is that Fred has some
strange prejudice against Philip Carey."

Busy Bee, who had heard nothing of this, felt her cheeks flush, while
her father proceeded.

"I do not understand it at all: Philip's manners in a sick room are
particularly good--much better than I should have expected, and he has
been very attentive and gentle-handed; but, from the first, Fred has
shown a dislike to him, questioned all his measures, and made the most
of it whenever he was obliged to give him any pain. The last time the
London doctor was here, I am sure he hurt Fred a good deal more than
Philip has ever done, yet the boy bore it manfully, though he shrinks
and exclaims the moment Philip touches him. Then he is always talking of
wishing for old Clarke at Rocksand, and I give Mary infinite credit for
never having proposed to send for him. I used to think she had great
faith in the old man, but I believe it was only her mother."

"Of course it was. It is only when Mary has to act alone that you really
are obliged to perceive all her excellent sense and firmness; and I am
very glad that you should be convinced now and then, that in nothing
but her fears, poor thing, has she anything of the spoiling mamma about
her."

"As if I did not know that," said he, smiling.

"And so she would not yield to this fancy? Very wise indeed. But I
should like to know the reason of this dislike on Fred's part. Have you
ever asked him?"

"No; he is not in a fit state for argument; and, besides, I think the
prejudice would only be strengthened. We have praised Philip again and
again, before him, and said all we could think of to give him confidence
in him, but nothing will do; in fact, I suspect Mr. Fred was sharp
enough to discover that we were talking for a purpose. It has been the
great trouble this whole time, though neither Mary nor I have mentioned
it, for fear of annoying my mother."

"Papa," said Busy Bee, "I am afraid I know the reason but too well. It
was my foolish way of talking about the Careys; I used to tease poor
Fred about Roger's having taken him for Philip, and say all sorts of
things that I did not really mean."

"Hem!" said her father. "Well, I should think it mig