Part 8 (1/2)
”Oh, what fun! What a rare smas.h.!.+” exclaimed Mervyn in delight. ”I will throw the key out;” and he darted across the room, picked up the key, and flung it with all his strength at the window.
But he did not aim straight, and instead of flying into the garden the key merely shattered the gla.s.s a little more, and fell back again on to the floor.
”You stupid boy! What a bad shot!” cried Bunny, and taking it up between her finger and thumb she stepped on a chair, and dropped it down cleverly upon the gra.s.s, just at Miss Kerr's feet.
”That is right,” said the governess with a smile, as she stooped to pick up the key; ”and now don't you think it would be a good punishment for all your naughtiness to keep you both locked up there for the rest of the afternoon?”
”Oh, no, no, pray do not do that, Miss Kerr, we are so sorry and so hungry!” and the two little faces, as they were pressed against the window, looked so utterly miserable and woebegone, that the kind-hearted governess could not bear to carry out her threat of punishment, but hurried away as fast as possible to let the poor children out.
When the door was at last opened and they were told to come forth, Mervyn hung back and did not dare to raise his eyes to Miss Kerr's face. Bunny, on the contrary, greeted her with a cry of joy, and springing into her arms, kissed her heartily over and over again.
”I'm so glad to get out! I'm so glad to get out! Oh, I was afraid we should have to stay in here all day by ourselves.”
”Well, I hope this will be a lesson to you never to shut yourself into a room again, Bunny,” said Miss Kerr severely. ”It was a very foolish thing to do, and I cannot say that I am very sorry that you got a little fright, for I really think you deserved to suffer something for your naughtiness. But tell me, little man,” she said to Mervyn, ”are you not glad to get out too? You don't look so cheerful over it as Bunny does.”
”I am very glad to get out. But I--I--wanted to tell you,” he said with much difficulty, and clasping his little hands tightly together. ”I want--to tell you--that I am very sorry I was disobedient and ran away from Sophie.”
”I am glad to hear you say you are sorry, dear,” answered Miss Kerr.
”I am sure you mean it Mervyn, and that I may trust you not to be disobedient again.”
”Yes, you may trust me, indeed you may,” the boy cried with a bright smile, ”I will really try to be good, and make Bunny remember if I can.”
”Naughty little Bun! Why do you always forget as you do?” said Miss Kerr gently. ”I did think you were going to be good to-day, and just see how you have disappointed me!”
”I'm very sorry,” murmured Bunny, hanging her head. ”I did want to be good, and I promise you I won't be naughty again. I'll always stay as close up to Sophie as ever I can when we go out, I will indeed.”
”Very well, then, I will not say any more about the matter. Run away now, like good children, and get ready for dinner. And Bunny, dear, if Sophie is a little cross, be gentle and polite with her, for you have tormented and tried her temper very much, you know.”
”Oh, I will be ever so nice and kind to her, dear, dear Miss Kerr,”
cried Bunny as she gave the governess a bear-like hug and another loving kiss. ”I'll be awfully polite;” and laughing merrily she jumped off her perch on Miss Kerr's knee, and ran down the pa.s.sage to the nursery, waving her hat and singing at the top of her voice.
”Poor little giddy-pate!” said Miss Kerr with a sigh. ”I wonder how long she will keep all those splendid promises. But why don't you go off and get ready for dinner too, Mervyn?” she asked in surprise as she saw the little boy lingering at the door in a shy uncertain manner. ”Run along, dear, at once.”
”Will you--give me a kiss?” said Mervyn with a deep blush. ”I want to know that you have really forgiven me.”
”Of course I have, dear boy,” answered Miss Kerr, and she put her arm round him and kissed him affectionately. ”I have quite forgiven you, Mervyn, and I feel sure that you are going to be a very good boy.”
”I am going to try very hard to be good,” replied the boy solemnly, ”and as Bunny is so small perhaps I may make her do the same.”
”Very likely, Mervyn, dear, for good example is sure to have a strong effect upon little Bunny, who is more thoughtless than really naughty. But run off now, dear, and get your hands washed as quickly as possible. The dinner will not be fit to eat if we keep it waiting any longer.”
”That is true,” said Mervyn with a bright happy smile. ”We have kept it waiting a dreadfully long time, and we are all just dying with hunger, I'm sure;” and he too went off singing to the nursery.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Chapter decoration.]
CHAPTER VIII.
BUNNY TRIES TO SHOW OFF.