Part 11 (1/2)
”Yes, sir, surely I will,” answered the man earnestly; ”I will never do what Miss Bunny asks me to do again, never while I live.”
”And now, my dear fellow,” said Mr. Dashwood, turning to the young stranger and shaking him once more by the hand, ”I cannot tell you how grateful I feel to you. May I be permitted to ask your name?”
”My name is Francis Collins; but indeed I did not do much,” the boy answered modestly.
”You have done me a very great service, Master Francis, and one that I can never repay you,” said Mr. Dashwood earnestly. ”Do you live anywhere about here?”
”No, sir; I live in London,” replied the lad; ”my father is in India with his regiment, and I am staying up here for a time with my aunt.”
”Is your father a captain? and is he in India now?” asked Mervyn shyly.
”Yes, little man,” answered young Collins with a smile, ”he is a captain in the 45th, and is now stationed at Jublepoore.”
”Why, Captain Collins is papa's great friend, and of course he was my friend too; and Mrs. Collins was so good and kind to me. Oh, I did love her so much!” cried Mervyn, looking up into the lad's face.
”Are you the Frank she used to talk to me about?”
”Yes, I am the Frank, her only child,” said the boy sadly; ”poor mother! it's a whole year and a half since I saw her last;” and tears came into his eyes as he spoke.
”I have often heard my brother-in-law speak of your father, my dear boy, and I am very glad to have made your acquaintance,” said Mr.
Dashwood as he seated his little daughter upon her pony. ”Where are you staying?”
”I am living with my aunt at a quiet hotel on the West Cliff.”
”I am very glad to hear it,” said Mr. Dashwood, ”for you will be able to come over and see us. Our name is Dashwood, and we are staying at Holly Lodge, a house standing in its own grounds and facing the sea, yonder on the South Cliff. Anyone will point it out to you; so be sure and pay us a visit some day soon.”
”Yes, thank you, I certainly will,” the boy replied with a bright smile; ”I must have a talk with this little chap, Mr. Dashwood, and find out all I can about my father and mother from him. By the by I suppose you are the Mervyn Hastings she told me she missed so much.”
”Yes, I am Mervyn Hastings; and oh, did she miss me?” cried the little fellow eagerly.
”Most dreadfully! And I don't wonder, for you seem to be a capital little fellow,” said Frank Collins, patting Mervyn on the shoulder.
”Come over and lunch at the children's dinner to-morrow at two o'clock, and then you and Mervyn can have a long talk together,”
said Mr. Dashwood as he sprang to his horse. ”It is rather late now, so these youngsters must get home as quickly as they can. Remember we shall all be delighted to see you, if you can spare time for visiting.”
”Oh, do come, do come,” said Mervyn, earnestly.
”Mama will be so glad to see you,” cried Bunny, ”so do come, please.”
”Thank you all very much,” answered the lad brightly; ”I will be sure to be at Holly Lodge by two o'clock. Good-bye, Mr. Dashwood; good-bye, Miss Bunny; good-bye, little Mervyn;” and Frank lifted his hat politely as the riding party turned and rode away from him down the drive towards Scarborough.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Chapter decoration.]
CHAPTER IX.
MISS KERR PROMISES A PRIZE.
The next morning was very wet, and as it was quite impossible for the children to go out, Miss Kerr insisted on their going into the library to learn their lessons.