It really was good in Dr. Alec not to laugh, and Rose felt deeplygrateful when he said in a mildly suggestive tone,
"The dollars and cents seem to be rather mixed, perhaps if I juststraightened them out a bit we should find things all right."
"Please do, and then show me on a fresh leaf how to make mine look niceand ship-shape as yours do."
As Rose stood by him watching the ease with which he quickly broughtorder out of chaos, she privately resolved to hunt up her old arithmeticand perfect herself in the four first rules, with a good tug atfractions, before she read any more fairy tales.
"Am I a rich girl, uncle?" she asked suddenly, as he was copying acolumn of figures.
"Rather a poor one, I should say, since you had to borrow a ninepence."
"That was your fault, because you forgot my pocket-money. But, really,shall I be rich by and by?"
"I am afraid you will."
"Why afraid, uncle?"
"Too much money is a bad thing."
"But I can give it away, you know; that is always the pleasantest partof having it I think."
"I'm glad you feel so, for you can do much good with your fortune if youknow how to use it well."
"You shall teach me, and when I am a woman we will set up a school wherenothing but the three R's shall be taught, and all the children liveon oatmeal, and the girls have waists a yard round," said Rose, with asudden saucy smile dimpling her cheeks.
r />
"You are an impertinent little baggage, to turn on me in that way rightin the midst of my first attempt at teaching. Never mind, I'll have anextra bitter dose for you next time, miss."
"I knew you wanted to laugh, so I gave you a chance. Now, I will begood, master, and do my lesson nicely."
So Dr. Alec had his laugh, and then Rose sat down and took a lesson inaccounts which she never forgot.
"Now come and read aloud to me; my eyes are tired, and it is pleasant tosit here by the fire while the rain pours outside and Aunt Jane lecturesupstairs," said Uncle Alec, when last month's accounts had been put ingood order and a fresh page neatly begun.
Rose liked to read aloud, and gladly gave him the chapter in "NicholasNickleby" where the Miss Kenwigses take their French lesson. She did hervery best, feeling that she was being criticised, and hoping that shemight not be found wanting in this as in other things.
"Shall I go on, sir?" she asked very meekly, when the chapter ended.
"If you are not tired, dear. It is a pleasure to hear you, for you readremarkably well," was the answer that filled her heart with pride andpleasure.
"Do you really think so, uncle? I'm so glad! Papa taught me, and I readfor hours to him, but I thought perhaps, he liked it because he was fondof me."
"So am I; but you really do read unusually well, and I'm very glad ofit, for it is a rare accomplishment, and one I value highly. Come herein this cosy, low chair; the light is better, and I can pull these curlsif you go too fast. I see you are going to be a great comfort as wellas a great credit to your old uncle, Rosy." And Dr. Alec drew her closebeside him with such a fatherly look and tone that she felt it wouldbe very easy to love and obey him, since he knew how to mix praise andblame so pleasantly together.
Another chapter was just finished, when the sound of a carriage warnedthem that Aunt Jane was about to depart. Before they could go to meether, however, she appeared in the doorway looking like an unusually tallmummy in her waterproof, with her glasses shining like cat's eyes fromthe depths of the hood.
"Just as I thought! petting that child to death and letting her sit uplate reading trash. I do hope you feel the weight of the responsibilityyou have taken upon yourself, Alec," she said, with a certain grim sortof satisfaction at seeing things go wrong.
"I think I have a very realising sense of it, sister Jane," answeredDr. Alec, with a comical shrug of the shoulders and a glance at Rose'sbright face.
"It is sad to see a great girl wasting these precious hours so. Now, myboys have studied all day, and Mac is still at his books, I've no doubt,while you have not had a lesson since you came, I suspect."
"I've had five to-day, ma'am," was Rose's very unexpected answer.
"I'm glad to hear it; and what were they, pray?" Rose looked very demureas she replied,
"Navigation, geography, grammar, arithmetic, and keeping my temper."
"Queer lessons, I fancy; and what have you learned from this remarkablemixture, I should like to know?"
A naughty sparkle came into Rose's eyes as she answered, with a drolllook at her uncle,
"I can't tell you all, ma'am, but I have collected some usefulinformation about China, which you may like, especially the teas. Thebest are Lapsing Souchong, Assam Pekoe, rare Ankoe, Flowery Pekoe,Howqua's mixture, Scented Caper, Padral tea, black Congou, and greenTwankey. Shanghai is on the Woosung River. Hong Kong means 'Island ofSweet waters.' Singapore is 'Lion's Town.' 'Chops' are the boats theylive in; and they drink tea out of little saucers. Principal productionsare porcelain, tea, cinnamon, shawls, tin, tamarinds and opium. Theyhave beautiful temples and queer gods; and in Canton is the Dwelling ofthe Holy Pigs, fourteen of them, very big, and all blind."
The effect of this remarkable burst was immense, especially the factlast mentioned. It entirely took the wind out of Aunt Jane's sails; itwas so sudden, so varied and unexpected, that she had not a word to say.The glasses remained fixed full upon Rose for a moment, and then, witha hasty "Oh, indeed!" the excellent lady bundled into her carriage anddrove away, somewhat bewildered and very much disturbed.
She would have been more so if she had seen her reprehensiblebrother-in-law dancing a triumphal polka down the hall with Rose inhonour of having silenced the enemy's battery for once.