Part 2 (2/2)
”I'm an ally; and he called me Freckles,” said Wiggins vengefully; and once more he spurned the earth.
On their way home, half-way up the lane, where the trees arched most thickly overhead, they came to a patch of deepish mud which was too sheltered to have dried after the heavy rain of the day before.
”Mind the mud, Wiggins,” said Erebus, mindful of his carelessness in the matter.
Wiggins walked gingerly along the side of it and said: ”It wouldn't be a nice place to fall down in, would it?”
The Terror went on a few paces, stopped short, laughed a hard, sinister little laugh, and said: ”Wiggins, you're a treasure!”
”What is it? What is it now?” said Erebus quickly.
”A little job of my own. It wouldn't do for you and Wiggins to have a hand in it, he'll swear so,” said the Terror.
”Who'll swear?” said Erebus.
”The Cruncher. And you're a girl and Wiggins is too young to hear such language,” said the Terror.
”Rubbis.h.!.+” said Erebus sharply. ”Tell us what it is.”
The Terror shook his head.
”It's a beastly shame! I ought to help--I always do,” cried Erebus in a bitterly aggrieved tone.
The Terror shook his head.
”All right,” said Erebus. ”Who wants to help in a stupid thing like that? But all the same you'll go and make a silly mull of it without me--you always do.”
”You jolly well wait and see,” said the Terror with calm confidence.
Erebus was still muttering darkly about piggishness when they reached the house.
They went into the drawing-room in a body and found Captain Baster still talking to their mother, in the middle, indeed, of a long story ill.u.s.trating his prowess in a game of polo, on two three-hundred-guinea and one three-hundred-and-fifty-guinea ponies. He laid great stress on the prices he had paid for them.
When it came to an end, the Terror gave him his cigarette-case.
Mrs. Dangerfield observed this example of the thoughtfulness of her offspring with an air of doubtful surprise.
Captain Baster took the cigarette-case and said with hearty jocularity: ”Thank you, Error--thank you. But why didn't you bring it to me, Terebus? Then you'd have earned that kiss I'm going to give you.”
Erebus gazed at him with murderous eyes, and said in a sinister tone: ”Oh, I helped to get it.”
CHAPTER II
GUARDIAN ANGELS
At seven o'clock Captain Baster took his leave to dine at his inn. Of his own accord he promised faithfully to return at nine sharp. He left the house a proud and happy man, for he knew that he had been s.h.i.+ning before Mrs. Dangerfield with uncommon brilliance.
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