Part 2 (2/2)
”Why not jump down?”
Gwyn gave a sharp look up and down the lane, but no one was in sight, and he lightly threw his legs over, and dropped down beside his companion.
”Don't want any of the boys to see that there's a way over here,” he said, ”or we shall be having thieves. I say, Joe, father's been talking about the old mine at breakfast.”
”Then you told him what Captain Hardock said. I told my father, too.”
”What did he say?”
Joe Jollivet laughed.
”Well, what are you grinning at? Why don't you speak?”
”Because you're such a peppery chap, and I don't want a row.”
”Who's going to make a row? What did the Major say?”
”Sha'n't tell you.”
”Who wants you to? It was something disrespectful of my father, and he has no business to. My father's his superior officer.”
”That he isn't. Your father was cavalry, and my father foot.”
”And that makes it worse,” said Gwyn, hotly. ”Cavalry's higher than infantry, and a major isn't so high as a colonel.--What did he say?”
”Oh, never mind. Come on.”
”I know what he said; and it's just like the Major. Just because his wounds come out bad sometimes, he thinks he has a right to say what he likes. I believe he said my father was a fool.”
”That he didn't,” cried Joe, sharply; ”he said he'd be a fool, if he put any money in a mine.”
”There, I knew it, and it's regularly insulting,” cried Gwyn, with his face flus.h.i.+ng and eyes sparkling. ”I shall just go and tell Major Jollivet that my father--”
”Oh, I say, what a chap you are!” cried Joe, wrinkling up his rather plump face. ”You're never happy without you're making a row about something. Why don't you punch my head?”
”I would for two pins.”
”There, that's more like you. What have I done? I didn't say it.”
”No, but your father did, and it's all the same.”
”Oh! is it? I don't see that. I couldn't help it.”
”Yes, you could. It all came of your chattering. See if I go fis.h.i.+ng with you again!”
”Go it!”
”I mean to; and I shall walk straight up to Cam Maen, and tell the Major what I think of him. I won't have my father called a fool by a jolly old foot-soldier, and so I'll tell him.”
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