Part 6 (1/2)

”I say, the clock's stopped in the night; it wants a quarter to four by that old stupid thing on the staircase. I'll go down to the dining-room and see there; I know it's half-past seven, and everybody is lying in bed because Papa said we should all start in good time for the sands.

Don't I wish I was behind old Sam! Shouldn't I like to put a wasp in his bed!”

He then slipped quietly down to the dining-room. All was still; the blinds drawn down, but the room was light enough for him to see the hands upon the face of the little timepiece over the fireplace.

”Ten minutes to four,” said the clock.

”All the clocks are wrong,” said Harry, pettishly. ”It must be late. I know it is. I'll go in the kitchen.”

So off he went, pat, pat, with his bare feet over the oilcloth, and then upon the sandy stones in the kitchen. Plenty of light there, and the old Dutch clock plainly to be seen, only the pendulum stood still, and the weights had run down; for cook had forgotten to draw them up on the previous night. ”Quarter to twelve,” said the clock.

”Oh! come, that won't do,” said Harry. ”I know it's late. Don't I wish I had a watch of my own; I should know what the real time was then.”

Up he went to Fred's room with the same tale upon his lips respecting the time, but as unbelieving as ever.

”Why, it is only four o'clock,” said Philip, looking out of the window; ”and there's the sun just rising. Well, you are a chap, Hal, to wake one up at this time of the morning and say it's late. I shall go to bed again.”

”So shall I,” said Fred.

”No, you won't,” said Harry; dragging the clothes together and making a bundle, with which he ran off into his own room with both the others in full chase. And then began a regular scrimmage, French and English fas.h.i.+on, and Harry, having two enemies, was pulled down sprawling over a rushbottom chair, and then nearly kicked over the washstand, making such a clatter that the Squire knocked angrily at the wall; when off the noisy ones ran back into Fred's room, Harry this time being the pursuer, armed with his bolster, ”Bang, crash--crash, bang--whiz--wuz--rush.”

Fred went backwards upon his bed, _hors de combat_, from a well-directed blow from Harry's bolster; and then at it went Harry and Phil--the latter being armed with a pillow, down whose front a ghastly slit soon showed itself; but Philip fought well, and Harry was getting worsted and driven into the corner amongst the boots, where the footing was rather bad for bare feet ”Flop!” Harry caught it then and staggered back.

”Flop” again, for Philip was surpa.s.sing himself, and Harry having received the last blow full upon the top of his head went down upon one knee; but he rallied again, ducked to avoid the next blow, and diving under Philip's arm came up behind, and ”Whooz!” went the bolster bang upon Phil's back, and ”Cras.h.!.+” went Philip forward, ram fas.h.i.+on, with his head into the wardrobe door.

At it again: ”whop--whop--flip--flop--bang,” went pillow and bolster, while Fred, sitting tailor fas.h.i.+on upon his bed, was rolling with laughter. At last Philip began to shew signs of being beaten, and Harry whirled his bolster round his head in order to administer the _coup de grace_, when ”cras.h.!.+”--the water-bottle and tumbler were swept off the dressing-table, splintering to pieces on the floor, and covering the carpet with feet-piercing fragments and puddles of cold water.

”Oh! shan't we catch it!” said both combatants, ceasing the war, like two enemies who had just awakened to the fact that they had been doing a vast amount of mischief to somebody else's property.

”Oh! I say, whatever shall we do?” said Philip in dismay.

”Pick up the pieces,” said Harry, laconically.

The three boys set to work, picked up the pieces, and sponged up the water; but there was a great, rugged, black-looking patch, like a North American continent, with plenty of islands all round it, in the midst of the carpet; but then, too, there were the fragments of broken bottle and gla.s.s.

”Oh! I say, what shall we do?” exclaimed Philip again, when all was made as decent as circ.u.mstances would permit.

There was a minute's silence which no one seemed inclined to break; but at last Harry said, moodily, ”Why, we must go and tell Mamma; she won't be so very, very cross.”

”She will, though; for she said we were not to bolster, because it spoiled the pillow-cases so, and--”

Here Philip caught sight of the pillow lying upon Fred's bed, the cover being nearly torn off. Upon seeing this ghastly object Philip looked more grim than ever, and he left his sentence unfinished.

”Let's buy another bottle,” said Fred; ”I'll pay.”

This was a new idea.

”Capital,” said Harry. ”I've got a s.h.i.+lling Papa gave me yesterday, and I'll pay half.”

”So will I,” said Philip, brightening up.

But, as the bottle could not be bought by the lads all paying half, it was decided that they should all bear a share in the proposed expense, and go and buy the new water-holder before breakfast.

”Hooray!” said Harry, ”jump into your clothes, boys, and we'll run down to the village and be back before breakfast's ready.”