Mrs. Ramsay 'mothered' Clive,
feeling it was some return for the kindness which Uncle David had shown
to her own girls. She grew fond of the young scapegrace and covered his
escapades as far as possible, so as not to alarm nervous Aunt Nellie, who
would have been much perturbed at some of her grandson's reckless
performances.
There was no harm about Clive; he was simply a young, restless, fast-
growing boy, who constantly wanted fresh outlets for his energies. He
loved to tease his cousins, but met his match in Merle, who generally
turned the tables and carried the war into the enemy's camp. When they
were not sparring or playing jokes upon one another, the two were firm
allies. Merle had always wished for a brother, and lively Clive was a
companion after her own heart. Mrs. Ramsay, indeed, complained that her
younger daughter was becoming an utter tomboy, but she was glad for the
two to be together, as she could trust Merle not to allow her cousin to
go too far, and to keep him from endangering either his own limbs or the
safety and comfort of other people.
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