"Uncle Alex! Uncle Alex!" he yelled. "You better come quick! Debby got herself stuck!"

Together Alex and Grace raced from the house, drawn now, not only by the boy's urgent words, but also by the frightened cries coming from the front yard.

"Oh, Alex!" Grace explained, grabbing his arm as she gazed in horror at the small girl who had climbed clear to the top of the ladder and now stood, her short arms wrapped precariously around the tree limb.

Alex gave Grace's hand a reassuring squeeze before moving toward the ladder. Slowly he began to mount the high ladder, talking soothingly to the sobbing girl as he did so. Grace could only wait helplessly as Alex and the small girl began their gradual descent, Alex easing her down one step at a time with his body between her and the ground.

As soon as his feet touched the ground he scooped the girl up into his arms.

"Debby," Alex said, in a calm but unmistakably firm voice. "Don't you ever do anything like that again."

"Yes, Uncle Alex," Debby's response sounded very small and muffled as she buried her face against the man's shoulder.

Just then Clare, who was unaware of the little drama taking place, came to the door and summoned Alex to the phone.

Remembering that she had a batch of cookies browning in the oven Grace accompanied Alex into the house, leaving the children to follow.

No sooner had Alex hung up the telephone than James once more came rushing in, this time with a hint of amusement on his young face.

"She's stuck again, Uncle Alex!" he said, and sure enough, they discovered Debby was once more at the top of the ladder, clinging to the branch just as desperately as she had the first time Alex had come to her rescue.

Once more Grace stood fearfully watching as Alex climbed to the top of the ladder and again eased the girl down.

This time when he reached the bottom of the ladder he didn't sweep the child up into his arms, but placed her on her feet in front of him and knelt to look directly into her face.

"Didn't I tell you not to do that again, Debby?" he demanded sternly.

Debby nodded, a comforting finger going into her quivering mouth.

"He said I daren't do it again, Uncle Alex," the girl explained, pointing toward her brother. "He said I was just a big cry baby."

The boy tried to look innocent, but the impish expression on his face made it clear that the girl spoke the truth.

"You should have obeyed me, Debby, no matter what your brother said to you," Alex explained before straightening and turning toward James. He stood quietly looking at the boy for a moment and then spoke in a still voice, with an added intensity that Grace had heard him use only once or twice when dealing with some of their more difficult clients. "James, I don't think you realize the danger you put your sister in, but you do realize that I gave instructions she was not to climb the ladder again. Not only have you behaved irresponsibly, but you have also deliberately rebelled against my authority. That, you must learn, is something I will not permit. You head up to your room and wait for me there. And while you're waiting, you think about what would have happened had your sister slipped off the ladder. As for you Debby, because you disobey you'll have to do without your swing until you prove to me that you can do as you're told. Is that clear?"

Without moving to interfere Grace watched as Alex carried Debby into the house, a crestfallen James trailing along behind.

"Aunt Grace, what is he going to do to James?" Peggy, who had been standing beside her aunt, demanded. "He isn't going to hurt him is he?"

Grace looked at the door that Alex had closed behind him and shook her head.

"No, Peggy, he isn't going to hurt James, but I'd be willing to wager that James is going to learn rebellion brings some rather stiff penalties."

And so it was. After the punishment, which consisted of some unpopular household chores, was applied Alex and James were quickly back on good terms and seemed closer than ever.

The next major confrontation, however, was not as easily, nor as pleasantly resolved.

For several weeks the children had been spending some of their free time with a teenage boy who occasionally rode over on his bike.

Tim Write, who had taken note of the boy's presence, drew Alex and Grace to one side, confiding in a low, rather hesitant way, "Perhaps you'll tell me to mind my own business, but you've both been so nice to me and the kids are such a swell bunch that I thought I'd warn you about young Massey. I don't mean to gossip," he said, his youthful face slightly flushed, but earnest, "but it's a fact that the boys a trouble maker at school. I happen to know that he's rebellious and rude to his teachers, and a bully when it comes to those weaker than himself. I hate to think of your kids being influenced by the likes of Rex Massey."

Alex thanked Tim and promised to speak to the children. Before he did, however, he went out and spoke face to face with young Rex in an effort to become better acquainted. At the end of a rather short conversation he came back into the house, his face red, but his voice controlled. "Young, foul mouthed, roughneck!" he muttered. "Thinks the world revolves around his young shoulders. Well, this is the last time he'll find the Edwards quite so hospitable."

That evening at supper Alex suggested to the children that they discourage any further friendship with the boy.

The older boys took it well enough, Peter saying that the young man had been bossy and James complaining that he had been too rough. Only Peggy had remained silent, her stormy face causing Grace some uneasiness.

Sure enough, at the boy's next appearance Peter and James quickly found work that kept them from socializing, but not so Peggy. She had purposely stood in the middle of the driveway talking and laughing with her visitor.

As soon as the boy left Peggy came into the house and started toward her room. Grace, however, quickly stepped into the hall and summoned the girl into the kitchen.

"Peggy, wasn't that Rex Massey you were speaking with?" Grace asked, as the girl sank down into a kitchen chair.

"So what if it was?" the girl demanded, her face flushed, and her voice belligerent. "Are you going to tell Uncle Alex on me?"

"If I didn't someone else would," Grace informed her. "Besides, your uncle has good reasons for discouraging your friendship with the boy."

"He just doesn't want me to have any fun!" the girl cried, leaping to her feet. "He wants me to spend all my time in that dirty old garden pulling weeds! He's mean and cruel, and I wish you'd never married him!" she exploded, breaking into tears as she turned and sped out of the room never noticing the figure that stood silently in the doorway which lead into the garage.

"The young lady seems to have expressed herself rather clearly," Alex spoke dryly, as he pulled a chair away from the table and took a seat. Grace, who knew him better now, read the hurt and discouragement in his face.

His afternoon had been spent working out back constructing a house for some rabbits he planned on surprising Debby with. He looked tired, hot and dirty. There was a dark smug on his cheek and his hair was wind tossed. His jacket too showed signs of labor, for it had a new, ragged tear along the sleeve and was speckled with straw. All and all it was preposterous that he should, in his present condition, draw Grace to him, but he did.

"Don't take it too much to heart, Alex," she told him sitting down next to him. "Peggy is almost thirteen, a rather emotional time for young girls. Besides, I'm afraid she's developed a crush on young mister Massey."

"That rascal? Why in thunderation did she have to pick such a miserable specimen?" Alex cried, beginning to drum his fingers on the table top.

"Probably because he's the first boy who ever paid her any attention. Or perhaps he just happened along at the right, or wrong, stage in her development. Nearly every girl goes through something of the like. Don't worry, Alex, she'll outgrow it."

"And what do we do until then?" he demanded. "We can't keep her locked in her room, and I tell you, Grace, that boy frightens me."

"I'll speak with her, Alex," Grace said, impulsively laying her hand over his to halt his nervous drumming.

"No," he said, patting her hand before standing up, a set, determined expression on the face that had been so relaxed of late. "I think this calls for a father daughter discussion. I hope the lines of communication are still open enough that she'll at least listen as I try and explain why I've asked her to stay clear of Rex Massey. Spend all her time in a dirty old garden indeed! What sort of ogre does she believe me to be that she's say such rot?"

"Alex," Grace spoke softly as he was about to step through the kitchen doorway. "Be careful not to be too blunt. Young girls aren't quite as thick skinned as business men."

He nodded in a way that made Grace feel he really did understand and left.

After he had gone Grace sat quietly staring out of the kitchen window. Alex was trying so hard, she thought. It just wouldn't be fair if a fresh mouthed character like the Massey boy were to undo all the good he had accomplished. It just wouldn't be fair!

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