Why I never could see; and if she thought more of one than the other it was Jim.

He was the youngest, and he had that kind of big, frolicsome, loving way with him, like a Newfoundland pup about half-grown.

I always used to think, somehow, nobody ever seemed to be able to get into a pelter with Jim, not even father, and that was a thing as some people couldn't be got to believe.

As for mother and Aileen, they were as fond of him as if he'd been a big baby.
So while he went to sit down on the stretcher, and let mother put her arms round his neck and hug him and cry over him, as she always did if he'd been away more than a day or two, I took a walk down the creek with Aileen in the starlight, to hear all about this message from father.
Besides, I could see that she was very serious over it, and I thought there might be something in it more than common.
'First of all, did you make any agreement with George Storefield ?' she said.
'No; why should I?
Has he been talking to you about me?
What right has he to meddle with my business ?' 'Oh, Dick, don't talk like that.

Anything that he said was only to do you a kindness, and Jim.' 'Hang him, and his kindness too,' I said.