Part 47 (1/2)

Arthur did not answer till they were outside, and then he turned viciously upon his brother.

”You're a regular coward,” he cried, ”to strike a blow like that.”

”I didn't say you were a coward for beginning it,” said d.i.c.k sharply.

”You struck the first blow. Never mind, let's shake hands. It's all over now.”

Arthur turned his back and went away, switching his cane as he walked towards the upper part of the village, while, after stopping to gaze after him for a few minutes, d.i.c.k sighed, and strolled down to his favourite post, the pier, to tell Will Marion that he had obtained leave for the fis.h.i.+ng, and to ask what time they were to start.

”I wish I hadn't hit Taff,” he said to himself dolefully; ”but he knows how savage it makes me if I'm hurt. I wish I hadn't hit him, though, all the same.”

The regret was vain: he could not take back the blow, and his forehead wrinkled up and his spirit felt depressed as he went on.

”Poor old Taff!” he said to himself. ”I don't think he's so strong as I am, and that makes him ill-tempered. And I'd been promising father that I'd take care of him; and then I've got such a brutal temper that I go and begin knocking him about.--Oh, I wish I wasn't so hot and peppery!

It's too bad, that it is.

”I suppose we sha'n't go conger-fis.h.i.+ng now,” he said gloomily. ”Taff won't care to go.

”Yes, he will,” he said after a few minutes' pause. ”I'll tell him at dinner-time I'm very sorry; and then we shall make it up, and it will be all right! Why, hallo! there he is going down to the boats. He must have been round the other way. I'll bet a penny he heard what I said to father about the fis.h.i.+ng, or else he has seen Will.”

The latter was the more correct surmise, though Arthur had also heard his father give his consent.

”Hi! Taff!” shouted d.i.c.k; but his brother did not turn his head, stalking straight down to the pier and getting to where Will and Josh were at work preparing their tackle for the night's fis.h.i.+ng.

”I'm very sorry, Taff,” said d.i.c.k humbly. ”I hope I did not hurt you much.”

Arthur made no reply, but began to speak to Will.

”Papa has given me leave to go with you,” he said; ”but I don't think I should care about being out so late.”

”Better come, sir,” said Josh. ”It will be rare sport. I know about the best place along our bay, and it hasn't been fished for six months, has it, Will?”

”Nine months, quite,” said Will. ”Yes, you had better come, sir.”

”He's hoping I won't go,” said Arthur to himself; ”and d.i.c.k hopes I won't go; but I will go just out of spite, to let them see that I'm not going to let them have all their own way.”

”Oh, he'll come,” said d.i.c.k, ”and you'll give him some good sport, won't you? He hasn't had any fis.h.i.+ng since we've been down here. And I say, Josh, my father says he shall hold you responsible. No getting us run down this time.”

”Not I,” said Josh. ”I'll have a lantern hoisted as we row back, and no boats will come where we are fis.h.i.+ng; it's too rocky.”

”Let's see the lines,” said d.i.c.k eagerly. ”Oh, I say, what a hook!

It's too big.”

”Not it,” said Will. ”Congers have big mouths, and they're very strong.”

”What time shall we get back?”

”'Bout ten, sir,” said Josh, ”and start at half-past five. We'll have everything ready.”