The Stokesley Secret [33]
flowers. Both little sisters were having their eyes opened to see some of the wonder and some of the glory of this earth of ours. It made Bessie much less often tired of everything and everybody; though after all there is but one spirit that is certain never to be weary or dissatisfied, and into that she had yet to grow.
Fines were much less frequent: there were no foolish tears; only one lesson of John's turned back, two of Annie's, one of Susan's; some unbrushed hair of Susan's too--an unlucky mention of the raven by Annie in lesson-time--and some books left about by Sam. Henry's fines were the serious ones: he had two for incorrect sums, one for elbows on the table, three for talking, one for not putting his things away; and besides, he COULD NOT go without a pennyworth of string; and the Grevilles would have laughed at him if he had not bought some more marbles.
But what did that signify when Colonel Carey was coming? and a sovereign would buy a pig three times over--at least, if it was quite a little one. Christabel wished the hope of that sovereign had never occurred to him, for he seemed to think it quite set him free from the little self-restraints by which the others were earning the pleasure of making the gift; and though he still talked the most about the pig, he denied himself the least for it.
One evening the boys came in with a great piece of news. Their tutor had read in the paper that Admiral Penrose was appointed to the Ramilies, to take command in the Mediterranean. He was a great friend of their father, and, said the boys, was most likely to make him his flag-captain.
"And me a naval cadet!" said Hal. "He said he would, when he was here!"
"One of you, he said," put in Susan.
"I know it will be me!" said Hal. "He looked at the rigging of my frigate, and said I knew all the ropes quite well; and he told Papa he might be proud of such a son!"
"Oh! oh!" groaned the aggrieved multitude.
"Well--such a family; but he was looking at me; and I know he will give me the appointment; and I shall sail in his ship--you'll see. And when I get to the Mediterranean, I'll tell you what I'll do--I shall kill a shark all my own self!"
"A shark in the Mediterranean!"
"Well, why shouldn't they get in by the Straits of Magellan? Oh! is that the other place? Well, never mind--I'll shoot the shark."
"Stuff, Hal!" said Sam rather gruffly.
Hal went off on another tack. "Well, at least he has set me down by this time; and Papa will have me up to London for my outfit."
"I hope you will have leave, and come and see us," said Annie.
"I'll try; but, you see, I shall be an officer on duty, and I dare say Admiral Penrose will hardly be able to spare me; but I'll send you all presents out of my pay."
"You'll spend all your pay on yourself," said David.
"Out of my prize-money then."
"You can't get prize-money without a war," said Elizabeth.
"Oh! don't let there be a war!" cried Susan.
"Yes, but there is!" said Harry in a tremendous tone; and as Miss Fosbrook held up her hands, "at least there was one in the Black Sea; and I know there was a battle in the newspaper--at least, Mr. Carey read about Palermo."
"I don't think Garibaldi in Sicily will put much prize-money into your pocket, Hal," said Miss Fosbrook.
"Oh! but there's sure to be a war! and I shall get promoted, and be a man before any of you. I shall go about, and see condors, and lions, and elephants, and wear a sword--at least, a dirk--while you are learning Latin and Greek at Uncle John's!"
"Don't make such a noise about it!" said Sam crossly.
"I don't know why you should be the one to go," said Elizabeth. "Sam is the eldest."
"Yes; but Sam is such a slow-coach. Papa said I was the only one fit to make a sailor of--at least, he said I was smart, and--Hollo! Sam, I won't have you kicking my legs!"
"Don't keep up such a row then!" growled Sam; but Hal was in too full swing to be reached by slight measures. He pushed his chair back, tucked up his feet like a tailor's, out of reach, and went
Fines were much less frequent: there were no foolish tears; only one lesson of John's turned back, two of Annie's, one of Susan's; some unbrushed hair of Susan's too--an unlucky mention of the raven by Annie in lesson-time--and some books left about by Sam. Henry's fines were the serious ones: he had two for incorrect sums, one for elbows on the table, three for talking, one for not putting his things away; and besides, he COULD NOT go without a pennyworth of string; and the Grevilles would have laughed at him if he had not bought some more marbles.
But what did that signify when Colonel Carey was coming? and a sovereign would buy a pig three times over--at least, if it was quite a little one. Christabel wished the hope of that sovereign had never occurred to him, for he seemed to think it quite set him free from the little self-restraints by which the others were earning the pleasure of making the gift; and though he still talked the most about the pig, he denied himself the least for it.
One evening the boys came in with a great piece of news. Their tutor had read in the paper that Admiral Penrose was appointed to the Ramilies, to take command in the Mediterranean. He was a great friend of their father, and, said the boys, was most likely to make him his flag-captain.
"And me a naval cadet!" said Hal. "He said he would, when he was here!"
"One of you, he said," put in Susan.
"I know it will be me!" said Hal. "He looked at the rigging of my frigate, and said I knew all the ropes quite well; and he told Papa he might be proud of such a son!"
"Oh! oh!" groaned the aggrieved multitude.
"Well--such a family; but he was looking at me; and I know he will give me the appointment; and I shall sail in his ship--you'll see. And when I get to the Mediterranean, I'll tell you what I'll do--I shall kill a shark all my own self!"
"A shark in the Mediterranean!"
"Well, why shouldn't they get in by the Straits of Magellan? Oh! is that the other place? Well, never mind--I'll shoot the shark."
"Stuff, Hal!" said Sam rather gruffly.
Hal went off on another tack. "Well, at least he has set me down by this time; and Papa will have me up to London for my outfit."
"I hope you will have leave, and come and see us," said Annie.
"I'll try; but, you see, I shall be an officer on duty, and I dare say Admiral Penrose will hardly be able to spare me; but I'll send you all presents out of my pay."
"You'll spend all your pay on yourself," said David.
"Out of my prize-money then."
"You can't get prize-money without a war," said Elizabeth.
"Oh! don't let there be a war!" cried Susan.
"Yes, but there is!" said Harry in a tremendous tone; and as Miss Fosbrook held up her hands, "at least there was one in the Black Sea; and I know there was a battle in the newspaper--at least, Mr. Carey read about Palermo."
"I don't think Garibaldi in Sicily will put much prize-money into your pocket, Hal," said Miss Fosbrook.
"Oh! but there's sure to be a war! and I shall get promoted, and be a man before any of you. I shall go about, and see condors, and lions, and elephants, and wear a sword--at least, a dirk--while you are learning Latin and Greek at Uncle John's!"
"Don't make such a noise about it!" said Sam crossly.
"I don't know why you should be the one to go," said Elizabeth. "Sam is the eldest."
"Yes; but Sam is such a slow-coach. Papa said I was the only one fit to make a sailor of--at least, he said I was smart, and--Hollo! Sam, I won't have you kicking my legs!"
"Don't keep up such a row then!" growled Sam; but Hal was in too full swing to be reached by slight measures. He pushed his chair back, tucked up his feet like a tailor's, out of reach, and went