‘My _betters_!’ reiterated Master Fred. ‘Oh! come now, Miss Marsh, do draw it mild.’ ‘I hope you are not going to indulge us with that sort of schoolboy slang all dinner-time, or you will shock the Miss Lovetts,’ I told him, ‘and, if I am not much mistaken, you will offend your cousin also.’ ‘Ah! the elegant and accomplished Cave. Yes, I shouldn’t wonder if I did, and it would not be the first time either. But I see his cropped flaxen poll bobbing up at the window. By Jove! didn’t he look black when he caught sight of me! I’m in for it, Miss Marsh, and no mistake; but I rather like a row than otherwise. There’s so little excitement about here, that one’s digestion is ruined for want of it.’ ‘Oh! I hope you won’t have a row,’ I replied; but when we entered the _salle_, where Mr. Charteris was seated with the two girls, I was really afraid Master Fred’s prophecy would come true. I could not account for the extreme annoyance that clouded his cousin’s face at the sight of him. It could not have arisen simply from the fact of the boy having made his appearance without leave, and yet one would have thought he had committed the most serious offence by doing so. ‘Well, Cave, you don’t look over and above pleased to see me!’ exclaimed the lad, as soon as he had renewed his acquaintance with the Lovett girls. ‘I can’t say I am. Why didn’t you wait till I sent for you, instead of running over in this unceremonious fashion?’ ‘Wait till you sent for me! I fancy I might have waited till the crack of doom, in that case. Why, how much longer do you intend to remain here yourself?’ ‘I don’t know, and it’s no concern of yours,’ replied Charteris, with visible annoyance. ‘Of course not! You’re your own master, and the longer you stay away the better, at least for those at home.’ ‘Now, Fred, I don’t want any of your nonsense. Please to understand that.’ ‘I can’t give you sense if I haven’t got it. But my dad writes me word that they’ve a clean bill of health down at Parkhurst now, and that Mary is very anxious to see you back again.’ If Charteris had been suddenly shot he could hardly have jumped up more quickly than he did at these words. ‘Fred, my boy!’ he exclaimed, with a total change of manner, ‘don’t you want to have a little shooting in the forest?’ ‘Well, of course I do, if it’s possible! But I didn’t expect to get it, as I came over without warning.’ ‘I should like to oblige you if I can, but if we are to do anything we must start at once. I left my guns up at the château, and we must call for them on our way. Are you game for a long walk, Fred?’ ‘Pretty well! but is there any such hurry?’ Can’t we get an hour or two after _goûter_? I’m no great shakes with a gun, you know, Cave—not a bigwig like you or the Baron—so that I dare say I shall have had enough of it long before you have. And I’m so hungry.’