Part 14 (2/2)

”No--nothing at all,” replied my cousin with a great effort, and hastily brus.h.i.+ng away his tears. ”Let me have a look at it too. I'm ashamed of myself, Willie. I believe I was making myself unhappy at thinking that I shall just have gone back as much as you've gone forward. I didn't know I cared so much for being first in my lessons.”

After that I avoided ever talking of my lessons when Aleck was in the room; but he noticed this, and insisted on introducing the subject, speaking often to Mr. Glengelly about my progress, and looking over my exercises from time to time, whilst he would playfully remark that ”we should be about equal when he was allowed to begin lessons again, and better companions than ever before.”

Sometimes he wondered at my getting on so much faster than formerly, not knowing the spirit of resolve and determination that had grown out of all the sad time of trouble, when I had found out for the first time what a poor sinful child I was, and had learned to seek and find for myself the sure Refuge and Strength--not for times of trouble only, but for the whole of life's journey.

From the circ.u.mstance of my play-time being in great part spent with my cousin, at least such part of it as was not taken up in rides or drives with my parents, it came to pa.s.s that my visits to the Cove were far less frequent than they had been at any previous time. But though old George growled and grumbled at seeing so little of me, he always encouraged me not to desert my cousin.

Now and then, however, I found my way down the Zig-zag to the lodge, and it was upon one of these occasions that I unburdened my mind to my old friend of a desire, which grew and strengthened upon me, in some way to provide for Aleck a boat which should be quite equal to the one he had lost. I knew it was worth a great deal more than I should be able to save in pocket-money, and a vague idea of the possibility of bartering some of my possessions had been dismissed as impracticable.

To part with the ”Fair Alice” without old George's sanction would not be right, but if he would make no objection, it seemed to me that this would be on the whole the easiest mode of reparation, and I took him into consultation on the subject accordingly.

”I know it's your present to me, George,” I said, feeling sadly alive to the delicacy of the request; ”but if you'll give me leave, I think it's the only thing I have that would do to give Aleck. I can't think of any other way. I know it took you a tremendous time to make, and I care for it more than for anything. But I would rather give it to Aleck.”

Old George chuckled rather provokingly, and seemed to be taken up with some abstruse calculation. ”Well, I won't be against it, Master Aleck,”

he said, ”unless--no--I'm not sure--” (the old man seemed to grow quite composed in his uncertainty), ”I think--I may show you.” And so saying he led the way into the work-shop.

I started with surprise--another little schooner-yacht was in course of construction, precisely similar to the one that had been lost.

”O George, how kind!”

”No; it's not a bit kind,” responded George, ”for I'm being paid for it.

I meant to have done it without, but your papa, sir, has insisted upon it being his order, and I've been obliged to cave in.”

It was to be a secret from Aleck, however.

How hard it was to keep that secret, when, every time there was a talk of Aleck's being able to get down to the Cove, I was on the point of letting out what he was to see there!

I did contrive to keep it, however; and when at last February was ushered in with a burst of warm weather that tempted all the little buds to unfold themselves with a perfectly reckless disregard of the cold that was sure to follow, and primroses and violets to start into blossom as though they could not lay the bright carpet for spring's advance too soon, Dr. Wilson decreed that nothing would do his little patient more good than a couple of hours of the freshest sea breezes, caught and partaken of on the spot, a mile off from sh.o.r.e;--which meant that Aleck had leave to go to the Cove once more, and out upon the sea for a sail.

Of course I had a whole holiday for the occasion; and I had satisfaction in observing that I was not the only one unable to settle down into quiet occupation. The carriage was nearly ready to drive my parents and Aleck down to the lodge, when I started off by way of the Zig-zag, to the Cove.

There was the new yacht, already decked from bow to stern with the tiny flags which I had been collecting for weeks past. All the sails were set, but a little anchor--also my addition to the furniture of the new vessel--kept her safely moored; and as she curtsied upon the water, every sail and flag reflected as in a mirror, I thought I had never seen anything so pretty.

Perhaps Aleck thought so too, for when he arrived a few minutes after, leaning on my father's arm, he seemed as if he could not speak, and had to sit down quite quietly in the boat whilst he drew the yacht close up to the side, and looked at it all over. Then he turned to my father, and said something about not being able to thank--and at this point broke down in a manner that was so singularly infectious, that no one was found able to break the silence at first.

My father said presently, however, ”You must carry him off to sea, George; and I shall call you to account if those pale cheeks don't gather roses from the crests of the waves.”

Then we drew up the anchor of the little yacht, and pushed off from the sh.o.r.e. A basket of provisions had been placed in the boat, and before we had been very long out at sea, George insisted upon its being unpacked, threatening Aleck that he should be reported as insubordinate unless he consumed precisely the quant.i.ty of wine and the whole amount of cold chicken dealt out to him.

”Willie,” whispered my cousin to me, after dutifully doing his best at the luncheon, ”I want very much indeed to go to the White-Rock Cove--do you think George will let us?”

Certainly I did _not_ think so, but Aleck wished it, and that was quite enough to make me join earnestly in his entreaties that we should turn the boat's head round in the direction he wished.

Groves consented at last, but not without many misgivings, the White-Rock Cove being, he said, about the last place he'd have thought of taking us to; and sentiments to the same effect were respectfully echoed by Ralph, who, in my private belief, had held the place in superst.i.tious horror ever since the 20th of September.

All of us, however, yielded as a matter of course when it was found Aleck had set his mind upon it; and the wind being favourable, we were not very long in rounding Braycombe headland.

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