Shirley, Nan, and Di did not tease her as much as she had expected.

They all seemed rather stunned by the mere fact of Rilla adopting a war-baby; perhaps, too, the doctor had issued instructions.

Walter, of course, never had teased her over anything; one day he told her she was a brick.
"It took more courage for you to tackle that five pounds of new infant, Rilla-my-Rilla, than it would be for Jem to face a mile of Germans.

I wish I had half your pluck," he said ruefully.
Rilla was very proud of Walter's approval; nevertheless, she wrote gloomily in her diary that night:-- "I wish I could like the baby a little bit.

It would make things easier.