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Glyn Severn's Schooldays, a novel by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 16. "Halt! Right Face!" |
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_ CHAPTER SIXTEEN. "HALT! RIGHT FACE!" The yellow silk handkerchief was brought a great deal into use by Mr Ramball to dab his head; and once Glyn nudged his schoolfellow's elbow and suggested that the proprietor was going to cry with disappointment from being told that he was labouring under a very grave mistake. Soon after the two boys slipped away so as to make for the school and excuse themselves for being out of bounds and going out unseen so early in the morning. They "slipped away" at Ramball's request. "Just walk up and down with me a few times," he said, "till we get on the other side of the caravans. No, not yet," he said. "I have sent one of the men for a big basket of carrots. They are nice and sweet, and his highness likes them. Once get him busy on them and he won't notice you going." A big two-handled basket made its appearance a few minutes later, piled up with the orange-red vegetables, and carried by a couple of Ramball's men. "Just give him two or three yourselves, gentlemen," said the proprietor, "and start him on them. Then get behind him and walk right away straight from his tail. You may do anything of that sort, as I dare say you know, without his seeing. Elephants are very stupid beasts about what goes on behind their backs." The two boys did as requested, and as soon as the elephant was busy they strolled off with its owner, who was very eager to shake hands with them again and beg of them to come to his place. "Here, I have had enough of this," cried Glyn as soon as they were out of the great field, "and I never thought of it before. What time is it?" "I don't know," said Singh. "I have left my watch on the dressing-table." Just then the striking of the church clock fell upon their ears, and Singh began to count aloud, while Glyn expressed his belief that it must be seven. "Why, all the chaps will be out when we get back," he said. "Eight!" said Singh loudly. "Nonsense! You have muddled it," cried Glyn. "Nine!" cried Singh. "Rubbish!" "It is. Look at the shops all open, and the people about." "Well; but the time couldn't have gone like that," cried Glyn. "Here, what are we going to say? If you are right--why, breakfast's over ever so long ago, and the fellows are all going in to class. But you can't be right." "Well, there's the clock," said Singh contemptuously. "Look for yourself." The hands and Roman numerals of the great church clock had only lately been re-gilded, and they seemed to twinkle and blink and point derisively in the bright morning sunshine. "Oh, I say," cried Glyn, "who could have thought it! Bother old Ramball and his beasts! Feeding his elephant! I wish somebody would feed me! Why, we shall get no breakfast." "Oh yes, we shall," cried Singh confidently. "Why, you forget we are in the infirmary still, and Mrs Hamton won't let us go without our breakfast. But come along; let's trot back round by the shortest way." They started the military double directly, and were about half-way back to the school when, as they turned a corner to get into the main road, a sharp military voice shouted: "Halt! Right face!" "Father!" cried Glyn. "Morning," cried the Colonel, as he shook hands warmly with both. "You two invalids having your constitutional? Well, you ought to be taken off the sick-list now. I have just been having my walk before breakfast. I came past the Doctor's, but could not see anything of either of you." "Going in to breakfast, father?" said Glyn. "Yes, my boy. You had yours at eight o'clock, I suppose. What time were you up? Seven o'clock, I suppose." "No, father," said Glyn, laughing. "It must have been about four." "Four o'clock! What made you get up so soon as that?" cried the Colonel, as he looked from one to the other. "We were called, father, and obliged to get up." And between them the boys narrated their early morning adventure. "Tut, tut, tut, tut!" ejaculated the Colonel. "Then you have had no breakfast at all?" Singh shook his head. "Come along with me, then," cried the Colonel. "I'll soon put that right." "Can't, father. We haven't got leave. We shall be punished for breaking out of school." "Nonsense!" cried his father. "You didn't break out of school. You were carried off. Here, I'll put that right with the Doctor; but there must be no more of this. You lads don't want elephants till you go back to Dour, and that won't be for years to come." Very shortly afterwards the boys were once more seated at the Colonel's table, to partake of a leisurely breakfast, before he, as he termed it, marched them back like a couple of deserters to the Doctor's establishment. Wrench looked at them at first wonderingly, and then shook his head as he announced that the boys were all in their classes, and that the Doctor was going round the grounds with the gardener to see what damage was done by the second visit of the elephant; when the Colonel proposed that they should follow and give the boys' version of their adventure. They came upon him they sought almost directly after, for he had inspected the damaged hedge, and was gazing very ruefully at the broken-down palisade and the torn and trampled flower-beds. He was busy pointing out the mischief to his companion, for Morris was with him, looking very sympathetic, as he borrowed the Doctor's walking-cane and carried his mathematical studies into daily life and utility by bending down and taking the dimensions of the elephant's great circular foot-prints. The Doctor frowned as he turned and saw who were approaching; but explanations followed as he rather ponderously led the way into his study, where everything connected with the discipline of his school was always discussed. "Oh, of course, Colonel Severn," he said, as his visitor took leave. "I hold your ward and son perfectly blameless, and have nothing to say about their absence from my establishment this morning.--But I hope, young gentlemen, that this is the last of these adventures; and I am glad, Colonel, that you met them and made them your guests." "Unintentionally, my dear sir--unintentionally," said the Colonel stiffly. "I did mean to ask your permission for them to dine with me once more; but after this morning's meeting I shall not do so. We mustn't interfere with the discipline of the school boys," he said. "To-morrow morning I return to town, and probably I shall not see you again for a couple of months. Good-morning, Doctor; good-morning.--You will see me to the door, boys?" The Doctor smiled and bowed, and the two lads walked past Wrench and then down with the Colonel to the Doctor's gate, where he stood for a few minutes talking. "That fellow civil and attentive?" he said, giving his Malacca cane a wave in the direction of Wrench. "Yes, father; very nice and obliging." "Give him that," said the Colonel, slipping a crown-piece into his son's hand; "and, let's see; you get your month's allowance regularly. Not overrunning the constable, I hope--not getting into debt?" The boys shook their heads, and after a few words more the Colonel marched off, erect and soldierly, while the boys rather slowly and unwillingly returned to their room to give a finishing touch or two to their rather hasty morning toilet. _ |
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