Rosemary, seated on the lowest porch step, was outwardly "cool and calm and collected," to borrow one of Winnie's favorite phrases. She was dressed all in white and Doctor Hugh, coming from the shed where he had put his car, noted¹ appreciatively what a lovely dash of color the blue wool she was knitting made in the picture. It just matched her eyes, he thought.  
"Hello, sweetheart!" he greeted her, and then, as she raised her face to kiss him, "why, what's the matter?"
 
For the blue eyes were mutinous² and stormy and it was easy to see that Rosemary was unhappy.
 
"Oh, Hugh! Don't go in right away—I never get a chance to talk to you," she said, moving over to give him room to sit on the step. "Everyone will have a thousand things to tell you—it was that way last Sunday. I suppose if we see you only once a week, or every other week, it's natural, but I wish I could ever talk to you without Shirley or Sarah asking you questions at the same time."
 
Doctor Hugh laughed as he took off his hat and dropped down beside his sister.
 
"Seems to me you have a good deal of energy for such a warm day," he commented, running his fingers through his thick dark hair. "Doesn't that breeze feel good, though! Eastshore has been becalmed this week and the dust from the plastering has settled on everything in the house—I'm glad Mother can't see it. And where is Mother, Rosemary?"
 
"Lying down," answered Rosemary, beginning to purl. "She didn't expect you for an hour. Sarah and Shirley went to town with Warren—he had to go over and get a bolt or something, so Mother let them go. How far has Mr. Greggs got with the building, Hugh?"
 
"Well, you know he isn't naturally swift," said the doctor cautiously, "and he and his helper have more labor³ troubles than any union I ever heard of—they differ continuously. But I will say that the lawn is piled high with lumber⁴ and bricks and I never come home at night that I don't have to chase a dozen boys away—kids who think I'm a grouch⁵ because I won't have them breaking their necks at my front door. Jack⁶ Welles says I ought to take patients wherever I find them and not be too particular."
 
"Tell me about Jack," Rosemary said, smiling.
 
"Jack is the same old Jack," declared the doctor. "He works in the garden, when his father makes him, and he goes fishing as often as the law allows. I believe he and half a dozen of the high school boys are going camping next week and Jack is counting on coming up here in August when I take my two weeks off. He's determined⁷ to work—asked me to speak to Mr. Hildreth about a job while I am here."
 
"Warren and Richard will be glad, if he does come," asserted Rosemary. "They think Mr. Hildreth ought to have another man all the time—Warren was grumbling⁸ because he had to go after the bolt this afternoon; he said it would put him back two hours."
 
The doctor watched the busy needles clicking placidly⁹ for several minutes. Then—
 
"And now, as we feel a little more serene," he said quietly, "suppose you tell me what was the trouble when I came."
 
"The trouble?" fenced Rosemary. "What trouble?"
 
"She thinks she can fool me," said Doctor Hugh, apparently¹⁰ addressing his remark to the solitary¹¹ white hen that wandered around a bush on the lawn at that moment. "She thinks I don't know the signals—those famous storm signals. She thinks I didn't know the moment I looked at her that she wanted something she couldn't have."
 
"I had—an argument," admitted Rosemary with hot cheeks. "It was all Winnie's fault."
 
"Yes?" said her brother politely.
 
"It was, Hugh, honestly it was. Winnie is as good as gold, but I do wish she wouldn't try to look after me, as she calls it. I can look after myself. Mother would let me do lots of things, if it wasn't for Winnie."
 
"Here, here, you'll have to take out all that knitting, if you're not careful," warned the doctor, for the blue eyes were stormy again and Rosemary was knitting furiously. "What was this particular argument about?"
 
"I want to sleep outdoors," explained Rosemary. "I could take out a quilt and spread it on the grass and a blanket to cover me—I've never done it and it would be such fun. And Winnie says if I must be crazy can't I wait till I get back to Eastshore? As if anyone ever slept out on the grass in town where everyone can see you!"
 
"No, that wouldn't be exactly the thing to do," agreed Doctor Hugh, his lips twitching¹². "Well, Rosemary?"
 
"First Mother said I could, and then, after Winnie had talked to her, she said she thought it wouldn't be best," reported Rosemary. "Winnie told her a cow might step on me—and all the cows are in the barnyard or the pasture at six o'clock and never get out!—or, she said, someone might come and carry me off! And where would I be, while they were carrying me?" demanded Rosemary with intense scorn. "I'd like to see anyone carry me off!"
 
"I hope this 'argument' didn't degenerate¹³ into a clash," said the doctor seriously. "You know how it tires Mother to have to hear these quarrels, Rosemary, and to be constantly called upon to act as arbitrator."
 
"I banged the door," confessed Rosemary. "I can't help it, Hugh, I always lose my temper when I argue. And Winnie kept saying the same thing a hundred times—I don't see why I shouldn't sleep outdoors, do you?"
 
"If mother has said 'no,' there's one hard a............