Part 16 (1/2)

While this brief colloquy had been going on, Phil and Jack, with sparkling eyes, waited at the edge of the wharf for the reappearance of Mr. Belleville. Up he came presently, splas.h.i.+ng and sputtering, his eyes flas.h.i.+ng angry sparks. Phil held out a hand; a vigorous pull, a scramble, and he stood once more on the wharf. Gerald walked up to him at once. ”I beg your pardon, Claud!” he said. ”I had no business to do it, and I apologize.”

Claud gave a spiteful laugh, and shook himself in his cousin's direction, spattering him with drops. ”Don't mention it, dear fellow!”

he said, through his chattering teeth. ”It serves me right for expecting civilized manners in the backwoods. This no doubt appears to you an exquisite pleasantry, and its delicacy will be appreciated, no doubt, by others of your circle. _Enfin_, in the presence of your father, whom I respect, I can but accept your apology. Since you are sorry--”

”I did not say I was sorry!” Gerald broke in. ”I said I begged your pardon.”

”My son, will you go at once and attend to the fire?” said Mr.

Merryweather.

”Father--”

”_At once!_” repeated Mr. Merryweather.

Gerald went.

”Phil, take your cousin in, and get him some dry clothes. His own will be dry before the wagon comes, if you hang them by the kitchen stove.

Hurry now!”

Phil and Claud went off in surly silence, and Mr. Merryweather turned to Jack Ferrers, who had remained an amused but somewhat embarra.s.sed spectator of the scene.

”Puppy play, Jack!” he said, quietly. ”You have seen plenty of it in Germany. One puppy _is_ a puppy, more's the pity, and the other has red hair. Well! well! I did hope this could have been avoided; but we must not let it go any further. I wish Roger were here. I wonder if you can help me out, Jack.”

”I'll do my best, sir!” said Jack, heartily.

”You see, I must go off; I ought to be at the village landing this moment, to see about that freight that is coming. Do you think you can keep the peace till I come back?”

”I think I can,” said Jack. ”I'll make a good try for it, anyhow, Mr.

Merryweather.”

”That's a good lad!” said the Chief. ”You could knock both their heads together, if you put your mind--and your biceps--to it; but I hope that will not be necessary. In any case, don't let them fight! I promised his mother.”

He nodded, and, settling himself in a boat, departed with long, powerful strokes.

Jack, left alone, shook his curly head, and felt of his arms.

”Ah'm fit!” he said, quoting another and a bigger Jock than himself.

”But it's a pity. That fellow is not only a puppy, he is a cur. I never saw anybody who needed a thras.h.i.+ng more.” And he went and coiled himself in a hammock, and prepared to keep watch.

An hour later Mr. Claud Belleville, once more dry, if somewhat shorn of his glory, reappeared upon the scene. As he came out of his tent, Gerald strolled carelessly out of the boat-house, his hands in his pockets.

”Cousin Rowdy, a word with you, if you please!” said Claud.

”Cousin Cad, two, if you like!” said Gerald.

”In France, where I live,” Mr. Belleville resumed, ”when we are insulted, we fight.”