Part 8 (1/2)
The boy let his feet go down into their normal position upon the carpet, and rose up with his handsome young face flushed, and a look of proud delight in his eyes.
”I can walk on my hands ever so far,” he shouted boisterously.
”No, no; stop!”
”You look, miss, and see me run like a tomcat.”
Before he could be stopped, he was down on all-fours running, with wonderful agility, in and out among the chairs, and over the hearthrug.
”That's what I do to make the boys laugh, when we go to bed. I can go all along the dormitory, and jump from one bed to the other. Where's the dormitory? I'll show you.”
”No, no; stop!” cried the doctor, and he caught hold of the boy by the collar. ”Confound you, sir: are you full of quicksilver!”
”No. It's skilly,” said the boy, ”and I ain't full now I'm ever so hungry.”
The doctor held him tightly, for he was just off again.
Helen Grayson tried to look serious, but was compelled to hold her handkerchief before her mouth, and hide her face; but her eyes twinkled with mirth, as her father turned towards her, and sat rubbing his stiff grey hair.
The doctor's plan of bringing up a boy chosen from the workhouse had certainly failed, she thought, so far as this lad was concerned; and as the little prisoner stood tightly held, but making all the use he could of his eyes, he said, pointing to a gla.s.s shade over a group of wax fruit--
”Is them good to eat!”
”No,” said Helen, smiling.
”I say, do you have skilly for breakfast!”
”I do not know what skilly is,” replied Helen.
”Then, I'll tell you. It's horrid. They beats up pailfuls of oatmeal in a copper, and ladles it out. But it's better than nothing.”
”Ahem!” coughed the doctor, who was thinking deeply.
The boy glanced at him sharply, and then turned again to Helen--
”You mustn't ask for anything to eat at the House if you're ever so hungry.”
”Are you hungry?” said Helen.
”Just!”
”Would you like a piece of cake!”
”Piece o' cake? Please. Here, let go.”
He shook himself free from the doctor and ran to Helen.
”Sit down on that cus.h.i.+on, and I'll ring for some.”
”What, have you got a big bell here? Let me pull it, will you?”