"Well," said she, "if he does, I suppose it will be for his good. A
man, of course, knows how to manage a boy better than a woman,
because he has been a boy himself. You know you and I never were
boys, Anna."

"I know that, Amy," said Anna, quite seriously, "and I am willing to
admit that a man may know better how to deal with a boy than a woman
does, but I must confess that when I think of Arthur punishing Eddy
for the faults he may have--"

"May have what?" demanded Mrs. Carroll, quite sharply for her.

"May have inherited from Arthur," declared Anna, boldly, with soft
eyes of challenge upon her sister-in-law.

"Eddy has no faults worth mentioning," responded Mrs. Carroll,
seeming to enlarge with a sort of fluffy fury like an angry bird;
"and the idea of your saying he inherits them from his father. You
know as well as I do, Anna, what Arthur is."

"I knew Arthur before you ever did," said Anna, apologetically.
"Don't get excited, dear."

"I am not excited, but I do wonder at your speaking after such a
fashion when we don't know what may have happened to the dear boy. Of
course Arthur will not punish him if he is shot or anything."

"Of course not."