the stokesley secret-第36节

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〃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　will　eat　the　garden　stuff；　and　pay　the　rent。'

〃Oh；　but〃　began　Annie；　and　there　she　came　to　a　sudden　stop。

〃Is　he　likely　soon　to　be　a　carter　boy？〃　asked　Miss　Fosbrook。

〃No；　Ma'am；　he　is　but　ten　years　old；　and　they　don't　often　take　them　on　under　twelve；　but　he　is　a　good　boy　to　his　mother；　and　a　terrible　one　for　leasing。〃

Miss　Fosbrook　was　obliged　to　have　it　explained　to　her　that　〃leasing〃　meant　gleaning；　and　she　saw　the　grand　pile　of　small　neat　bundles　of　wheat　put　out　to　dry　on　the　sunny　side　of　the　house。

〃O　Davie！〃　cried　Annie；　as　soon　as　they　were　outside　the　gate；　〃sha'n't　we　get　the　pig　for　Hannah？〃

〃It　is　my　money；　not　yours；　I　shall　do　what　I　please　with　it；〃　said　David；　rather　crossly。

Miss　Fosbrook　pulled　Annie　back；　and　desired　her　to　let　David　alone；　herself　wondering　what　would　be　the　effect　of　what　he　had　seen。

He　had　been　eager　to　do　good　to　Hannah　when　no　desire　of　his　own　stood　in　the　way；　but　a　formed　wish　had　arisen　in　his　mind；　and　he　loved　himself　better　than　Hannah。　　Christabel　dreaded　the　clearing…up　of　the　secret　of　the　post…office　order；　lest　he　should　be　proved　to　love　himself　more　than　right　and　justice。

There　were　not　many　letters　from　the　absent　pair　of　sisters；　they　seemed　to　be　much　too　busy　and　happy　to　write；　and　appeared　to　be　〃seeing　everything；〃　and　to　be　only　just　able　to　put　down　the　names　of　the　wonders。　　The　chief　of　all；　however；　was　that　kind　Mrs。　Penrose　had　actually　taken　them　to　Portsmouth　for　a　couple　of　nights；　to　see　the　Ramilies；　in　which　she　was　going　to　remain　till　it　sailed。　They　had　sat　in　the　Admiral's　cabin；　and　had　slept　upon　〃dear　little　sofas；〃　where　they　wished　they　always　slept；　they　had　been　in　Papa's　cabin；　which　was　half　filled　up　with　a　great　gun；　that　can　only　be　fired　out　at　the　window　（scratched　out；　and　〃port…hole〃　put　in。）

〃Oh；　how　delightful！　　I　wish　I　had　a　big　gun　in　my　room！〃　cried　Johnnie。

And　they　had　seen　Sam's　chest；　and　Sam　did　look　so　nice　in　his　uniform；　and　he　had　dined　with　them　every　day。　　They　had　dined　late；　with　the　grown…up　people；　and　the　Admiral　was　so　kind；　only　rather　funny。

Annie　wished　she　were　as　old　as　Bessie；　as　much　as　John　wished　to　have　a　gun　filling　up　his　whole　bed…room。

The　next　day；　their　Papa　had　taken　them　into　the　country　to　see　Lady　Seabury；　Bessie's　godmother；　a　very　old　lady　indeed；　older　than　Grandmamma；　and　who　could　not　move　out　of　her　chair。　　〃She　gave　me〃　wrote　Bessie。　　There　again　something　had　been　scratched　out；　and　〃a　kiss〃　written　overhead。

That　something　was　quite　a　long　word；　but　it　had　been　very　completely　blotted　out；　not　like　the　〃window；〃　which　had　only　a　couple　of　cross　bars；　through　which　it　could　be　plainly　read；　but　there　had　plainly　been　first　an　attempt　at　smearing　it　out　with　the　finger；　and　that　not　succeeding；　an　immense　shiny　black　mess；　like　the　black　shade　of　a　chafer　grub；　had　been　put　down　on　it；　and　had　come　off　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　sheet。

What　could　the　word　be？　　Annie　and　David　were　both　sure　they　could　read　the　lines　through　all　the　blot。　　The　first　letter　was　certainly　S。

〃But；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃do　you　think　it　is　quite　honourable　to　try　to　read　what　Bessie　did　not　mean　us　to　see？〃

They　did　not　quite　enter　into　this；　but　they　left　off　trying。

〃Mamma　had　been　out　in　the　carriage　several　times；　and　they　were　all　coming　home　on　Saturday　week〃that　was　the　best　news　of　all〃and　then　we　have　a　secret　too　for　Miss　Fosbrook。〃

David　said　he　was　tired　of　secrets；　and　would　not　guess。　　Annie　guessed　a　great　deal；　but　Miss　Fosbrook　thought　more　about　the　word　she　would　not　try　to　read。　　She　began　to　have　a　strong　suspicion　from　whom　the　post…office　order　had　come；　and　was　the　more　uneasy　about　the　spending　of　David's　half　sovereign；　but　she　durst　say　nothing；　for　she　knew　it　could　do　no　good　if　he　felt　himself　compelled　against　his　own　will；　and　she　saw　that　he　was　full　of　thought。

One　day　the　lawn　had　been　mown；　and　the　children　where　all　very　busy　wheeling　their　little　barrows；　and　loading　them　with　the　short　grass；　David　was　with　them　at　first；　but　when　Purday　left　off　work；　he　marched　after　the　old　man　in　his　grave　deliberate　way；　and　was　seen　no　more　till　nearly　tea…time；　when　he　walked　into　the　school…room　with　a　very　set　look　upon　his　solemn　face；　and　sat　himself　down　cross…legged　on　the　locker；　with　a　sigh　that　seemed　to　come　out　of　the　very　depths　of　his　heart。

〃What's　the　matter；　David？〃

He　made　no　answer；　and　Miss　Fosbrook　let　him　alone；　but　Annie　presently　bounced　in；　crying　out；　〃Davie；　Davie！　where　were　you？　we　have　been　hunting　for　you　everywhere！　　Where　did　you　go？〃

〃I　went　with　Purday。〃

〃What；　to　milk　the　cows？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　then？〃

〃I　went　with　him　to　Farmer　Long's；　to　see　his　little　Chinese　pigs。〃

〃And　you　have　bought　one！　　O　Davie！〃

〃Purday　is　to　ask　the　farmer　about　the　price　to…morrow　morning；　because　he　wasn't　at　home。〃

〃Then　you　won't　get　the　carpenter's　tools？〃　said　Annie。

〃No；〃　said　David；　〃Purday　said　tools　that　they　make　for　little　boys　never　will　cut。〃

〃So　you　told　Purday　all　about　it？〃

David　nodded　his　head。

〃Oh；　do　tell　me　what　Purday　said！〃　continued　Annie。

〃It's　nothing　to　you；〃　said　David　bluntly。　　But　by　and　by；　when　John　came　in；　and　a　few　more　questions　were　asked；　David　let　out　that　Purday　had　said；　〃Well；　he　thought　sure　enough　if　the　money　was　sent　to　Master　David　for　that　intent；　he　did　not　ought　to　spend　it　no　other　ways；　and　whether　or　not；　Hannah　Higgins　was　a　deserving　woman；　and　Master　Davie　didn't　know　what　it　was　like　never　to　have　a　bit　of　bacon　ne'er　a　Sunday　in　the　winter。　　He　couldn't　say　but　it　was　hard　that　those　poor　folks　should　get　nothing　but　bread　and　cabbages　from　week's　end　to　week's　end；　just　that　Master　Davie　might　spoil　bits　of　deal　board　with　making　chips　of　them。〃

And　when　David　was　sure　he　shouldn't　spoil　his　wood；　Purday　had　told　him　that　them　toy…shop　young　gentleman's　tools　were　made　to　sell；　and　not　made　to　cut。　　Best　save　up　his　money；　and　buy　one　real　man's　tool　after　another；　and　then　he'd　get　a　set　equal　to　George　Bowles's　in　time！

Though　so　young；　David　was　long…sighted　and　patient　enough　to　see　the　sense　of　this；　and　had　already　made　up　his　mind　that　he　would　begin　with　a　gimlet。　　And　though　he　did　not　say　so；　and　the　first　resolution　had　cost　a　very　tough　struggle；　his　heart　seemed　to　have　freed　itself　in　that　one　great　sigh；　and　he　was　at　peace　with　himself。

Miss　Fosbrook　was　very　glad　he　had　gone　to　so　wise　and　good　an　adviser　as　Purday；　and　was　almost　as　happy　as　David　himself。　　She　gave　him　and　John　leave　to　go　with　Purday　the　next　day　to　bargain　for　the　pig；　as　David　was　very　anxious　for　one　in　especial；　whose　face　he　said　was　so　jolly　fat；　and　it　was　grand　to　see　the　two　little　boys　consequentially　walking　on　either　aide　of　Purday；　who　had　put　on　his　whitest　round　frock　for　the　great　occasion。

Farmer　Long　was　at　home；　he　came　out　and　did　the　honours　of　his　ten　little　pigs；　and　when　he　found　which　was　David's　favourite；　he　declared　that　it　was　the　best　of　the　lot；　and　laughed　till　David　blushed；　at　the　young　gentleman's　having　got　such　an　eye　for　a　pig。　〃It　was　a　regular　little　Trudgeon；〃　said　Purday；　（meaning　perhaps　a　Trojan；）　and　it　was　worth　at　least　twelve　shillings；　but　the　farmer　in　his　good…nature　declared　that　little　Master　should　have　it　for　the　ten；　as　it　was　for　a　present。　　Hannah's　boy　was　working　for　him；　and　was　a　right　good　lad；　and　he　would　give　him　some　straw　for　the　pig's　bed　when　he　went　home　at　night。　　Then　he　took　the　two　boys　into　the　parlour；　and　while　Purday　had　a　glass　of　beer　in　the　kitchen；　Mrs。　Long　gave　each　of　them　a　big　slice　of　plum…cake；　and　wanted　very　much　to　have　given　them　some　wine；　but　that　they　knew　they　must　not　have；　and　she　inquired　after　their　Mamma　and　Papa；　and　made　them　so　much　of　visitors；　that　David　was　terribly　shy；　and　very　glad　when　it　was　over；　though　John　liked　it；　and　talked　fast。

As　to　the　giving　the　pig；　that　was　a　serious　business；　and　David　felt　hot　and　shy；　and　wanted　to　get　it　over　as　soon　as　possible　without　a　fuss。

So　he　bolted　into　Mrs。　Higgins's　cottage；　put　his　hands　behind　his　back；　and　spoke　thus：…　〃Please；　Mrs。　Higgins；　put　your　pig…sty　in　order！　　We've　all　done　itat　least　they　all　wanted　toand　a　green　order　came　down　in　a　letterand　we've　bought　the　pig；　and　Ben　will　drive　it　home　when　he　comes　from　work！〃

And　then；　as　if　he　had　been　in　a　great　fright；　he　ran　away；　while　Johnnie　stayed；　and；　when　Hannah　understood；　received　so　many　curtsies；　and　listened　to　so　much　pleasure；　that　he　could　hardly　think　of　anything　else；　and　felt　very　glad　that　SOME　pence　of　his　had　been　in　Toby　Fillpot。

Annie　said　that　it　was　not　fair　that　she　had　not　been　at　the　giving　the　pig；　and　Miss　Fosbrook　was　a　little　disappointed　too；　but　then　it　was　much　better　that　David　should　not　want　to　make　a　display；　so　she　would　not　complain；　and　comforted　Annie　by　putting　her　in　mind　that　they　could　go　and　see　the　little　pig　in　his　new　quarters。

A　few　days　more；　and　the　carriage　was　driving　up