the stokesley secret-第35节

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ess　tired；　and　their　lines　much　smoother　and　more　slanting；　than　when　they　crooked　their　fingers　close　down　over　the　ink。　　Absolutely　they　began　to　know　the　pleasure　of　doing　something　well；　and　they　felt　so　comfortable；　that　they　were　wonderfully　good；　and　the　pig　fund　might　have　had　a　chance；　but　David　did　not　seem　to　think　of　reviving　it。　　Perhaps　his　great　vehemence　had　tired　itself　out；　and　maybe　he　was　ashamed　of　the　great　disturbance　he　had　made　and　all　that　had　come　upon　Henry；　and　did　not　wish　to　think　of　it　again；　for　St。　Katherine's　fair…day　passed　over　without　a　word　of　the　pig。

The　young　ladies　were　not　great　letter…writers；　and　all　that　was　known　of　them　was　that　Mamma　was　better；　they　had　been　to　the　Zoological　Gardens　and　the　hyena　was　so　funny；　and　Mrs。　Penrose　was　so　nice。　　Then　that　Papa　and　Sam　were　gone　to　Portsmouth；　and　that　they　had　telegraphed　that　Sam　had　succeeded。

If　it　had　been　her　own　brother；　Miss　Fosbrook　could　not　have　been　much　happier；　and　in　honour　of　it　she　and　the　three　children　all　went　to　drink　tea　in　the　wilderness；　walking　in　procession；　each　with　a　flag　in　hand；　painted　by　her　for　the　occasion。

Three　days　after；　when　the　post　came　in；　there　was　a　letter　directed　to　Master　David　Douglas　Merrifield；　Stokesley　House；　Bonchamp。　　It　was　a　great　wonder；　for　David　was　not　baby　enough；　nor　near　enough　to　the　youngest；　to　get　letters　as　a　pet；　nor　was　he　old　enough　to　be　written　to　like　an　elder　one。　　He　spelt　the　address　all　over　before　he　made　up　his　mind　to　open　it；　and　then　exclaimed；　〃But　it　is　not　a　letter！　　It's　green！〃

〃It　is　a　post…office　order；　Davie；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook。　　〃Let　me　look。　　Yes；　for　ten　shillings。　　Write　your　name　there；　and　if　we　take　it　to　the　post…office　at　Bonchamp；　they　will　give　you　ten　shillings。〃

〃Ten　shillings！　　Oh；　Davie！〃　cried　Johnnie；　〃I　wish　it　was　to　me！〃

〃It　just　makes　up　for　what　Hal　took；　and　more　too；〃　said　Annie。　〃Where　can　it　come　from；　Davie？〃

〃From　the　Queen；〃　said　Davie　composedly；　〃the　Queen　always　does　justice。〃

Miss　Fosbrook　was　quite　sorry　to　confess；　for　truth's　sake；　that　she　did　not　think　the　Queen　could　have　heard　of　the　loss　of　the　pig　fund；　and　that　it　was　more　likely　to　be　from　someone　who　wished　to　make　up　for　the　disasterwho　could　it　be？　　She　looked　at　the　round　stamp　upon　the　green…lettered　paper；　and　read　〃Portsmouth。〃　　Could　it　be　from　Papa？　　Then　she　looked　at　the　cover；　but　it　was　not　a　bit　like　the　Captain's　writing；　it　was　pretty；　lady…like；　clear…looking　hand…　writing；　and　puzzled　her　a　great　deal　more。　　If　the　children　had　once　had　a　secret　of　their　own；　there　was　a　very　considerable　one　to　puzzle　them　now；　and　they　could　hardly　believe　that　Miss　Fosbrook　knew　nothing　about　it；　any　more　than　themselves。

So　restless　and　puzzled　were　they；　that　she　thought　they　would　never　be　able　to　settle　quietly　to　their　lessons；　and　that　it　would　save　idleness　if　she　walked　with　them　at　once　to　Bonchamp　to　get　the　money。　　It　was　two　miles；　but　all　three　were　stout　walkers；　and　they　were　delighted　to　go；　indeed；　they　would　have　fancied　that　someone　else　might　run　away　with　the　ten　shillings　if　they　had　not　made　haste　to　secure　it。　　So　〃David　Douglas　Merrifield〃　was　written；　with　much　difficulty　to　make　it　small　enough；　in　the　very　best　and　roundest　hand。　　The　boys　were　put　into　clean　blouses；　Annie's　striped　cotton　came　to　light；　and　off　set　the　party　through　the　lanes；　each　with　sixpence　in　their　hand；　for　it　was　poor　fun　to　go　to　Bonchamp；　unless　one　had　something　to　spend　there。　　David　wanted　a　knife；　Johnnie　wanted　a　whip；　Annie　nothing　in　particular；　only　to　go　into　a　shop；　and　buyshe　didn't　know　what。

But　the　wonderful　affair　at　the　post…office　must　have　the　first　turn；　and　very　grand　did　David　feel　as　the　clerk　peeped　out　from　his　little　hole；　and　looked　amused　and　gracious　as　the　little　boy　stood　on　tiptoe　to　give　in　his　green　paper。

〃Will　you　have　it　in　gold　or　silver；　Sir？〃　he　asked。

〃In　gold；　please；〃　said　David。

It　was　something　to　have　a　bit　of　gold　in　one's　possession　for　the　first　time　in　one's　life；　and　David　felt　as　if　he　had　grown　an　inch　taller；　and　were　as　good　as　six　years　old；　as　he　walked　away　with　the　half　sovereign　squeezed　into　his　hot　little　palm。

The　toy…shop　was　at　the　end　of　the　street；　and　in　they　went；　Johnnie　to　try　all　the　whistles　in　the　handles　of　the　whips；　and　be　much　disgusted　that　all　that　had　a　real　sound　lash　cost　a　shilling；　David　to　open　and　shut　the　sixpenny　knives　with　the　gravity　of　a　judge　examining　their　blades；　and　Annie　to　gape　about；　and　ask　the　price　of　everything；　after　the　tiresome　fashion　of　people；　old　or　young；　when　they　come　out　bent　on　spending；　but　without　any　aim　or　object。　However；　Annie　was　kind；　if　she　were　silly；　and　she　was　very　fond　of　Johnnie；　so　it　ended；　after　a　little　whispering；　in　her　sixpence　being　added　to　his；　to　buy　a　real　good　whip；　such　as　would　crack；　and　not　come　to　pieces。

Just　then；　what　should　the　children　espy；　but　a　nice　firm　deal　box；　containing　a　little　saw；　a　little　plane；　a　hammer；　a　gimlet；　a　chisel；　and　sundry　different　sizes　of　nails。　　Was　there　ever　anything　so　delightful；　especially　to　David；　who　loved　nothing　so　well　as　running　after　George　Bowles　the　carpenter；　and　handling　his　tools。　What　was　the　price　of　them？

Just　ten　shillings　and　sixpence。　　They　were　very　cheap；　the　woman　of　the　toy…shop　said。　　They　had　been　ordered　by　an　old　lady　at　her　grandson's　entreaty；　but　afterwards　a　misgiving　had　seized　her　that　the　young　gentleman　would　cut　his　fingers；　and　she　would　not　take　them。

〃Miss　Fosbrook；〃　whispered　David；　〃may　I　give　back　the　knife？　then　I　could　buy　it。〃

〃You　have　bought　and　paid　for　it；〃　said　Christabel。

〃Somebody　else　will　buy　the　box；〃　said　David　wistfully。

Miss　Fosbrook；　within　herself；　thought　this　unlikely；　for　nobody　went　to　Bonchamp　for　costly　shopping；　and　she　saw　that　the　woman　would　gladly　have　had　the　knife　back；　if　she　could　have　sold　the　tool…box；　which；　even　at　this　reduced　price；　was　much　too　dear　for　the　little　boys　who　frequented　the　shop。

〃Come　away　now；　my　dear；〃　she　said　decidedly。　　〃No；　another　time；　thank　you。〃

David　was　as　nearly　crying　as　ever　he　was；　as　he　was　forced　to　follow　her　out　of　the　shop。　　Those　tools　were　so　charming；　his　fingers　tingled　to　be　hammering；　sawing；　boring　holes。　　Had　he　lost　the　chance　for　that　poor　blunt　knife？　　Must　he　wait　a　whole　fortnight　for　another　sixpence；　and　find　the　delicious　tool…chest　gone？

〃Dear　Davie；　I　am　very　sorry；〃　said　Christabel　when　they　were　in　the　street。

〃That　nasty　knife！〃　cried　David。

〃It　is　not　the　knife；　Davie；〃　said　she；　〃but　that　I　want　to　thinkI　want　you　to　thinkwhy　these　ten　shillings　must　have　been　sent。〃

〃Because　we　lost　the　money　for　the　pig；〃　said　David。　　〃But　Kattern　Hill　fair　is　over；　and　I　don't　want　a　pig　now；　I　do　want　the　gimlet　to　make　holes〃

〃Yes；　David；　but　you　know　what　was　saved　for　the　pig　came　from　all　of　you；　you　would　have　had　no　right　to　spend　it　on　anything　else；　unless　they　all　had　consented。〃

〃This　is　my　very　own；〃　said　David；　〃it　was　sent　to　memyselfme。〃

〃So　it　seems　now；　but　just　suppose　you　were　to　have　a　letter　to　say　that　someonepoor　Hal　himself；　perhapsor　Papahad　sent　ten　shillings　to　make　up　the　money　for　the　pig；　and　directed　it　to　you　because　you　cared　so　much；　would　it　not　be　a　shame　to　have　spent　the　money　upon　yourself？〃

〃Then　they　should　not　have　sent　it　without　saying；〃　said　David。

Miss　Fosbrook　thought　the　same；　when　she　saw　how　hard　the　trial　was　to　the　little　boy；　but　she　hoped　she　was　taking　the　kindest　course；　as　she　said；　〃Now；　David；　in　nine　days　time；　if　you　are　good；　you　will　have　had　another　sixpence。　　I　see　no　chance　of　the　tools　being　sold；　or　if　they　are；　I　could　send　for　such　a　box　from　London。　　By　that　time；　perhaps；　something　will　have　happened　to　show　who　sent　the　money；　and　why。〃

〃And　if　it　is　all　for　myself；　I　may　have　the　tools！〃　cried　David。

〃You　shall　have　them；　if　you　really　think　it　is　right；　when　Monday　week　comes。〃



CHAPTER　XVI。



Ideas　were　slow　in　both　entering　or　dying　out　of　David's　mind；　but　while　there　they　reigned　supreme。　　Carpentry　had　come　in　as　the　pig　had　gone　out；　and　with　the　more　force；　because　a　new　window　was　being　put　into　Mamma's　room；　and　George　Bowles　was　there；　with　all　his　delightful　tools；　letting　the　little　boys　amuse　themselves　therewith；　till　they　had　hardly　three　sound　fingers　between　them；　and　Nurse　Freeman；　when　she　dressed　their　wounds；　could　not　think　what　was　the　use　of　a　lady　if　she　could　not　keep　the　children　from　hurting　themselves；　but　Miss　Fosbrook　thought　that　it　was　better　that　boys　should　get　a　few　cuts　and　bruises　than　that　they　should　be　timid　and　unhandy。

One　evening；　all　the　party　walked　to　carry　to　Hannah　Higgins's　little　girl　a　pinafore　that　Annie　had　been　making。　　She　was　a　nice；　tidy　woman；　but　there　was　little　furniture　in　her　house；　and　she　looked　very　poor。　　The　garden　was　large；　and　in　pretty　good　order；　and　there　was　an　empty　pig…sty；　into　which　Annie　peeped　significantly。

〃No；　Miss　Annie；　we　haven't　no　pig；〃　said　Mrs。　Higgins。　　〃Ben　says；　says　he；　'Mother；　when　I'm　taken　on　for　carter　boy；　see　if　I　don't　get　you　a　nice　little　pig；　as　wi