"Bear it in mind, then, too. I found Dick with a cigar-case in his
pocket this morning. I don't ask whether you were aware of it, for I do
not want to say more about the matter than to express my entire
disapproval of my boys indulging in such a habit."
"Now if Taff's half a fellow he'll speak up and say it was his
cigar-case," thought Dick.
But Arthur remained silently intent upon his coffee, while Mr Temple
dismissed the subject, and looked smilingly at his boys as the meal
progressed.
"Ten minutes, and I shall be ready to start, Dick," said Mr Temple,
rising from the table.
"I--I think I'm well enough to go, papa," said Arthur.
"Well enough! But your head?"
"Oh! it's better, much better now."
"But won't you be alarmed as soon as you get on the water? It may be a
little rough."
"Oh, I'm not afraid of the water!" said Arthur boldly; and then he
winced, for Dick gave him a kick under the table.
"Very well, then," said Mr Temple, "you shall go. But you can't go
like that, Arthur. I did not see to your clothes. Haven't you a suit
of flannels or tweeds?"
"No, papa."
"How absurd of you to come down dressed like that!"
Arthur coloured.
"You can't go in boats and climbing up and down rocks in an Eton jacket
and white collar. Here, Dick, lend him a suit of yours."
"Yes, father," said Dick, who was enjoying what he called the fun.
"Let me see; you have a cap, have you not?"
"No, papa; only my hat."
"What! no straw hat?"
"No, papa."
"My good boy, how can you be so absurd? Now, ask your own common
sense--is a tall silk-napped hat a suitable thing to wear boating and
inspecting mines?"
"It--it's a very good one, papa," replied Arthur, for want of something
better to say.
"Good one! Absurd! Velvet is good, but who would go clambering up
cliffs in velvet!"
"Taff would if he might," said Dick to himself, as he recalled his
brother's intense longing for a brown silk-velvet jacket, such as he had
seen worn by one of his father's friends.
"Dick, go with your brother to the little shop there round the corner.
I saw straw hats hanging up. Buy him one. I'm going to write a letter.
There, I'll give you a quarter of an hour."
Mr Temple left the room, and as Arthur jumped up, scarlet with
indignation, to pace up and down, Dick laid his face upon his arm in a
clear place and began to laugh.
"It's absurd," said Arthur in indignant tones. "Your clothes will not
fit me properly, and I hate straw hats."
"I wouldn't go," said Dick, lifting his merry face.
"Yes," cried Arthur furiously, "that's just what you want, but I shall
go."
"All right! I should like you to come. Go and slip on my flannels;
they're sure to be dry by now."
"Slip on your rubbishy old flannels!" cried Arthur contemptuously; "and
a pretty guy I shall look. I shall be ashamed to walk along the cliff."
"Nobody will notice you, Taff," said Dick. "Come, I say, look sharp,
here's nearly five minutes gone."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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