Jack at Sea Part 6

"That's right, sir; do, sir; it's stirred you up. Why, you have got the stuff in you, Master Jack. I do believe you could fight after all if you was put to it. You, sir, actually, sir, making a joke about the knives and boots. Well, I wouldn't have believed it of you."

"Leave the room, sir!"

"Yes, sir, directly, sir; but do please ask the governor to take me, sir."

"Leave the room, sir!" cried Jack, starting to his feet.

"Certainly, sir, but if you would--"

_Whish_!--_Bang_!--_Jingle_!

In a fit of petulant anger Jack had followed the man's suggestion, caught up a heavy Greek lexicon, and thrown it with all his might, or rather with all his weakness, at the servant's head. Edward ducked down, and the book went through the gla.s.s of one of the cases; and at the same moment Sir John Meadows entered the library.

CHAPTER FOUR.

A READY-MADE MAN.

"What's the meaning of this?" cried Sir John angrily, as he stood staring in astonishment at his son's anger-distorted, flushed face, then at the footman, and back at his son.

"I--I--this fellow--this man--Edward was insolent, and--and--I--father-- I--ordered him--to leave the room--and--and he would not go."

"Oh, I beg pardon, Master Jack, sir," said Edward reproachfully. "I said I'd go, and I was going."

"Silence, sir!" cried Sir John, frowning. "Now, Jack, he would not go?"

"I was angry, father--and--and--"

"And you threw this book at him, and broke the pane of gla.s.s?"

"Yes, father," said the boy, who was now scarlet, as he stood trembling with excitement and mortification.

"Humph!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Sir John, crossing to raise the very short skirt of his brown velveteen Norfolk jacket, and stand with his hands behind him in front of the fire. "Pick up that book, Edward."

"Yes, Sir John."

"And tell one of the housemaids to come and sweep up the pieces."

"Yes, Sir John," said the man, moving toward the door.

"Stop! What does that signal to Mr Jack mean?"

"Well, Sir John, I--"

"Wait a minute. Now, Jack, in what way was Edward insolent to you?"

"Only laughed, Sir John."

"Be silent, sir! Now, Jack!"

"He irritated me, father," said the lad hastily. "He came to worry me with an absurd request, and--and when I ridiculed it, he burst out laughing in a rude, insolent way."

"Beg pardon, Sir John," said the man respectfully.--"Not insolent, Master Jack."

"Say Mr Jack."

"Certn'y, Sir John. _Mister_ Jack actually made a joke,--it wasn't a good one, Sir John, but it seemed so rum for him to make a joke, and then get in a pa.s.sion, that I bust out larfin, Sir John, and I couldn't help it really."

Sir John looked wonderingly at his son for an explanation.

"It was only a bit of petulant nonsense, father," stammered the lad.

"I'm very sorry."

"And pray what was the request Edward made?"

"Well, father, it was about this dreadful business."

"What dreadful business?"

Jack was silent for a few moments, but his father's stern eyes were fixed upon him, and he stammered out--

"This going abroad."

"Oh!--Well?"

"He came to beg me to ask you to take him with you."

"With _us_," said Sir John.

"Ye-es, father, if we went."

"There is no _if_ about it, Jack," said Sir John quietly; "we are going.

Humph! and you wanted to go, Edward?"

"Yes, sir, please, Sir John," cried the man earnestly. "I'd give anything to go."

Sir John looked at the man searchingly.

"Humph!" he said at last. "Well, I suppose it would sound attractive to a young man of your age."

"Attractive ain't the word for it, Sir John," cried the man.

Sir John smiled.

"Some people differ in their opinions, my lad," he said, with a meaning glance at his son.

"Yes, Sir John, meaning Master--Mister Jack; but he don't half understand what it means yet."