I'm sure my brother--" "But--" stammered Gavin.
"Oh, it's all right!" grumbled Milo, scooping up the handful of crushed meerschaum.

"Let it go at that.
I--" Again, the mocking bird notes fluted forth through the early evening silences, the melody coming as before from the direction of the grove's hidden path.

Milo stopped short in his sulky speech.

Brother and sister exchanged a swift glance.

Then Standish got to his feet and approached Gavin.
"Here we've kept you up and around when you're still too weak to move without help!" he said in very badly done geniality.
"Take my arm and I'll help you upstairs.