Part 18 (2/2)
Miss Chase gave such a graphic account at breakfast of her earlyexperiences that every one at the table shouted with laughter The jackasses were alluded to ever after as Aunt Dorothy's lunatics
”To talk of serious things,” said Mr Orban, half way through the meal, ”we shall have to be fearfully careful with the water The second tank is al till the rains cos are bad,” said Mr Orban ”I hope the rains will hurry up, or we shall have the cane catching fire We should lose every bit of the crop if that happened”
”Dear me,” said Miss Chase, ”you seem to have fearful difficulties to contend with Nesta was talking about locusts only thiscrop,” said Mr Orban ”If it escapes them, fire may destroy the old Too oodand another”
”It looks grand burning,” said Eustace
”A sheet of flarand to theburnt under his very nose,” said Mr Orban
The children had seldom seen their father look as worried as he did then It seemed to Eustace there was trouble in the air
”Can't you put out a fire in the cane once it begins?” asked Miss Chase with interest
”No,” was the answer; ”you can only try to stop it spreading by cutting as wide a path as possible between the burning part and the sound It takes all hands to do it, though, and soot to work for love or money It is a nasty business when it happens”
Bob started off home early; not quite so early as he had ht round ready saddled, he found it had lamed itself somehow in the stable He therefore borrowed a horse from Mr Orban, and left his own to rest for a day or two
Generally when Bob took his departure after a particularly jolly tiood deal of depression about But to-day, with the arrival of Aunt Dorothy's boxes up the hill, low spirits disappeared as if by ic
The contents of those boxes kept every one occupied the whole day
What with the excitement and curiosity over the aether; ith every one's amusement over Miss Chase's frequent astonishs of their everyday life, ti The children never remembered such happiness in their quiet existence before, and Miss Chase felt half inclined to hen she sahat sis were joys to theh at theravely
Brenda's photograph was very irl indeed, with a proudly-carried head, and just the suspicion of a scornful curve to her lips
Nesta suppressed a sigh as she looked at her cousin's clothes, for Nesta loved pretty things She let out little bursts of admiration that ael,” Nesta said ”I never saw any one so lovely Isn't she siirl,” was all Miss Chase could be brought to ad lingeringly at the lucky girl, who see heart could desire ”I just want to see herin the world”
”Perhaps you will so silently how much of the coraph of this rough-headed, ill-dressed little cousin of hers; for Brenda was particular--at least over her friends at school
Eustace gazed silently at the portrait of Herbert He had no word to say about the iraphed in his best suit, his highest collar, and pet tie At least he made no public comment; but when Nesta bothered him later for an opinion, he said shortly,--
”He looks an ass”
”Oh, he doesn't,” Nesta said warlish
”I think so,” Eustace said imperturbably
”Then you're a silly, jealous boy,” said Nesta in fiery championshi+p
”Who wants to have clothes like Brenda?” was the instant retort, ”and go to school like Brenda, and be just like Brenda? But I'm certain I don't want to look like Herbert anyway He looks a stuck-up ass”