the stokesley secret-第23章

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or　the　morrow's　post。　　There　was　no　letter。　　It　was　very　disappointing；　but　Miss　Fosbrook　thought　it　a　good　sign；　since　at　least　the　danger　could　not　be　more　pressing；　and　delay　always　left　room　for　hope。

The　children　readily　believed　her；　they　were　too　young　to　go　on　dwelling　long　on　what　was　not　in　sight；　and　even　Susan　was　cheerful；　and　able　to　think　about　other　things　after　her　night's　rest；　and　the　relief　of　not　hearing　a　worse　account。

The　children　might　do　as　they　pleased　about　going　to　church　on　saints'　days；　and　on　this　day　all　the　three　girls　wished　to　go；　as　soon　as　it　had　been　made　clear　that　even　if　the　message　should　come　before　the　short　service　would　be　over；　there　would　be　ample　time　to　reach　the　station　before　the　next　train。　　Miss　Fosbrook　was　glad　to　prove　this；　for　not　only　did　she　wish　to　have　them　in　church；　but　she　thought　the　weary　watching　for　the　telegram　was　the　worst　thing　possible　for　Susan。　　Sam　was　also　going　to　church；　but　Henry　hung　back；　after　accompanying　them　to　the　end　of　the　kitchen…garden。　　〃I　wouldn't　go；　Sam；　just　suppose　if　the　message　came　without　anyone　at　home；　and　you　had　to　set　out　at　once！〃

〃We　couldn't；〃　said　Sam；　〃there's　no　train。〃

〃Oh；　but　they　always　put　on　a　special　train　whenever　anyone　is　ill。〃

〃Then　there　would　be　plenty！〃

〃At　least　they　did　when　Mr。　Greville's　mother　was　ill；　so　they　will　now；　and　then　you　may　ride　upon　the　engine；　for　there　won't　be　any　carriages；　you　know。　　I　say；　Sam；　if　you　go　to　church；　and　the　telegraph　comes；　I　shall　set　off。〃

〃You'll　do　no　such　thing；〃　said　Sam。　　〃You　had　much　better　come　to　church。〃

〃No；　I　sha'n't。　　It　is　like　a　girl　to　go　to　church　on　a　week…day。〃

〃It　is　much　more　like　a　girl　to　mind　what　a　couple　of　asses；　like　the　Grevilles；　say；〃　returned　Sam；　taking　up　his　cap　and　running　after　his　sisters　and　their　governess。

〃It　is　quite　right；〃　observed　Henry　to　John　and　David；　who　alone　remained　to　listen　to　him；　〃that　one　of　us　should　stay　in　case　the　telegraph　comes　in；　and　there　are　any　orders　to　give。　　I　can　catch　the　pony；　you　know；　and　ride　off　to　Bonchamp；　and　if　the　special　train　is　there；　I　shall　get　upon　the　engine。〃

〃But　it　is　Sam　and　Susan　who　are　going。〃

〃Oh；　that's　only　because　Sam　is　eldest。　　I　know　Mamma　would　like　to　have　me　much　better；　because　I　don't　walk　hard　like　Sam；　and　when　I　get　there；　she　will　be　so　much　better　already；　and　we　shall　be　all　right；　and　Admiral　Penrose　will　be　so　delighted　at　my　courage　in　riding　on　the　engine　and　putting　out　the　explosion；　or　something；　that　he　will　give　me　my　appointment　as　naval　cadet　at　once；　and　I　shall　have　a　dirk　and　a　uniform；　and　a　chest　of　my　own；　and　be　an　officer；　and　get　promoted　for　firing　red…hot　shot　out　of　the　batteries　at　Gibraltar。〃

〃Master　Hal！〃　exclaimed　Purday；　〃don't　throw　them　little　apples　about。〃

〃They　are　red…hot　shot；　Purday！〃

〃I'll　red…hot　shot　you　if　you　break　my　cucumber　frames；　young　gentleman！　　Come；　get　out　with　you。〃

Probably　anxiety　made　Purday　cross　as　well　as　everyone　else；　or　else　he　distrusted　Henry's　discretion　without　Sam；　for　he　hunted　the　little　boys　away　wherever　they　went。　　Now　they　would　break　the　cucumber　frames；　now　they　would　meddle　with　the　gooseberries；　or　trample　on　the　beds；　and　at　last　he　only　relented　so　far　as　to　let　David　stay　with　him　on　condition　of　being　very　good；　and　holding　the　little　cabbages　as　he　planted　them　out。

〃Master　Davie　was　a　solemn　one；〃　Purday　said；　and　they　were　great　friends；　but　Hal　and　Johnnie　were　fairly　turned　out；　as　their　idle　hands　were　continually　finding　fresh　mischief　to　do　in　their　sauntering　desultory　mood。

〃I　think；〃　said　Hal；　〃since　Purday　is　so　savage；　we'll　go　and　look　out　at　the　gate；　and　then　we　shall　see　if　the　telegraph　comes。〃

Johnnie　had　no　clear　idea　what　a　telegraph　was；　and　was　curious　to　know　how　it　would　come；　rather　expecting　it　to　be　a　man　in　a　red　coat　on　horseback；　blowing　a　horna　sight　that　certainly　was　not　to　be　missed；　so　he　willingly　strolled　down　after　Henry　to　the　gate　leading　to　the　lane。

〃I　can't　see　any　way　at　all；〃　said　Henry；　looking　out　into　the　lane。　〃I　shall　get　up；　and　so　see　over　into　the　bend　of　the　road；〃　and　Hal　mounted　to　the　topmost　bar　of　the　gate；　and　sat　astride　there；　John　scrambling　after　him　not　quite　so　easily；　his　legs　being　less　long；　and　his　dress　less　convenient。　　Both　knew　that　their　Papa　strongly　objected　to　their　climbing　on　this　iron　gate；　the　newest　and　handsomest　thing　about　the　place；　but　thought　Hal；　〃Of　course　no　one　will　care　what　I　do　when　I　am　so　anxious　about　poor　Mamma！〃　and　thought　Johnnie；　〃What　Hal　does；　of　course　I　may　do！〃

So　there　the　two　young　gentlemen　sat　perched；　each　with　one　leg　on　either　side　of　the　new　iron　gate。　　It　was　rather　like　sitting　on　the　edge　of　a　knife；　and　John　could　scarcely　reach　his　toes　down　to　rest　them　on　the　bar　below；　but　he　held　on　by　the　spikes；　and　it　was　so　new　and　glorious　a　position；　that　it　made　up　for　a　good　deal　to　be　five　feet　above　the　road；　moreover；　Hal　said　it　was　just　like　the　mast…head　of　a　man…of…warat　LEAST；　when　the　waves　didn't　dash　right　overhead；　like　the　picture　of　the　Eddystone　Lighthouse。

〃Hollo！　what；　a　couple　of　cherubs　aloft！〃　cried　a　voice　from　the　road；　and　looking　round；　Henry　beheld　the　two　Grevilles。

〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　〃it's　very　jolly　up　here。〃

〃Eh！　is　it？　　Riding　on　a　razor；　to　my　mind。　　Come　down；　and　have　a　lark；〃　said　Osmond；　while　Martin；　undoing　the　gate；　proceeded　to　swing　it　backwards　and　forwards；　to　John's　extreme　terror；　but　the　more　he　clung　to　the　spikes；　and　cried　for　mercy；　the　quicker　Martin　swung　it；　shouting　with　laughter　at　his　fright。　　Henry　meanwhile　scrambled　and　tumbled　to　the　ground；　and　caught　the　gate　and　held　it　fast；　while　he　asked　what　his　friends　had　been　about。　　One　held　up　a　scarlet　flask　of　powder；　the　other　a　bag　of　shot。

〃You　haven't　got　a　gun！〃

〃No；　but　we　know　where　gardener　keeps　his；　and　the　governor's　out　for　the　day。　　Come　along；　Hal：　　you　shall　have　your　turn。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　go　far　from　home　to…day。〃

〃Oh；　stuff！　　What　was　it　Mamma　heard；　Osmond？　　That　your　mother　was　ever　so　much　better；　wasn't　it？〃

〃I　thought　it　was　worse；〃　said　Osmond。

〃Well；　never　mind：　　your　hanging　about　here　won't　do　her　any　good；　I　suppose。〃

〃No；　but〃

〃Oh；　he'll　catch　it　from　the　governess！I　say；　how　many　seams　shall　you　have　to　sew　to…day；　Hal？〃

〃I　don't　sew　seams：　　I　do　as　I　please。〃

〃Ha！　　Is　that　them　coming　out　of　church！〃

〃Oh；　it　is！　it　is！〃　cried　John　from　his　elevation。　　〃Oh；　help　me　down；　Hal！〃

But　Henry　did　not　want　Miss　Fosbrook　to　find　him　partaking　in　gate…　climbing；　and　either　that　desire；　or　the　general　terror　a　bad　conscience；　made　him　and　the　Grevilles　run　helter…skelter　the　opposite　way；　leaving　poor　little　John　stuck　on　the　top　of　the　gate；　quite　giddy　at　the　thought　of　coming　down　alone；　and　almost　as　much　afraid　of　being　there　caught　by　Miss　Fosbrook　coming　home　from　church。

It　was　a　false　alarm　after　all；　that　the　congregation　were　coming　out。　　John　would　have　been　glad　if　they　had；　for　nothing　could　be　more　miserable　than　sitting　up　there；　his　fingers　tired　of　clutching　the　spikes；　his　feet　strained　with　reaching　down　to　the　bar；　his　legs　chilled　with　the　wind；　his　head　almost　giddy　when　he　thought　of　climbing　down。　　He　would　have　cried；　could　he　have　spared　a　hand　to　rub　his　eyes　with；　he　had　a　great　mind　to　have　roared　for　help；　especially　when　he　heard　feet　upon　the　road；　but　these　turned　out　to　belong　to　five　little　village　boys；　still　smaller　than　himself；　who；　when　they　saw　the　young　gentleman　on　his　perch；　all　stood　still　in　a　row；　with　their　mouths　wide　open；　staring　at　him。　　Johnnie　scorned　to　let　them　think　he　was　not　riding　there　for　his　own　pleasure；　so　he　tried　to　put　a　bold　face　of　the　matter；　and　look　as　much　at　ease　and　indifferent　as　he　could；　under　great　bodily　fear　and　discomfort；　the　injury　of　his　brother's　desertion；　the　expectation　of　disgrace；　and　the　reflection　that　he　was　being　disobedient　to　his　parents　in　the　height　of　their　trouble！

There　is　nothing　in　grief　that　of　necessity　makes　children　or　grown　people　good。　　Sometimes；　especially　when　there　is　suspense；　it　fills　them　with　exciteme