Part 13 (2/2)
”Go on with those proble else”
”I do,” said the old”I want you to leave your books to-day--for a few days, I should say, till your face co ”Have a rest Go and ralass and watch the birds till evening, and then you can fish”
Aleck ju had brought on suggestions of headache and weariness; and soon after breakfast he went up to his uncle's study, to find hihtful, and ready to start at the boy's entry
”I've colass, uncle,” said Aleck
”To be sure, yes I forgot,” said the old man, hastily ”Take it down, my boy; and mind what you're about--recollect you are half blind Let's have no walking over the cliff or into one of the gullies”
”I'll take care, uncle,” said the boy, s ”I'll be back to dinner at two”
The captain nodded, and Aleck wastowards the door, when the old rasped his hand for a otten yesterday, Aleck, ravely, and then he turned away
”Who could forget yesterday?” thought the boy, as he slipped out by the side door and took the path leading round by the far edge of the cliff wall, the part which was left wild, that is, to its natural growth
For Aleck's intent was to avoid being observed by the old gardener, whom he had last seen at work over the celery trench upon the other side of the house
”He'd only begin asking questions about reat stupid fisher boys,” said Aleck to hilass over his shoulder and hurried in and out areat cliff wall, till, passing suddenly round a great feathery tuft of ta to avoid, standing in a very peculiar position, his back bowed inward, head thrown backward, and a square black bottle held upside down, the neck to his lips and the botto to the sky
Aleck stopped short, vexed and wondering, while the old gardener jerked hi so ahow irin on his countenance
”Morning, Master Aleck,” he said ”Strange hot ed to keep a bottle o' water here in the shady part o' the rocks”
”Oh, are you?” said Aleck, quietly, and he could not forbear giving a sniff
”Ah! nice, arn't it, sir? Flowers do s like this, ith the roses and the errubs and wile thys It doon, sir? Or have yer slipped down aht Here, I know--you've been bathing!”
”Not this , Ness; I did yesterday”
”That's it, then, my lad, and you should mind I know you've had one o'
they jelly-fish float up agen yer face, and they sting dreadful so to move onward past themy face”
”Wasn't it now? Yer don't uard's fist”