"Nothing," he said. "I'll go and take my things off; only please
don't tell mother."
"Yes," said old nurse, who had tottered in, but who was past fully
comprehending emergencies; "go and get into bed, my dear, and Emma
shall come and warm it for him."
"No," stoutly said the little boy; "there's nothing the matter, and
mother must not know."
"Take my word for it," said cook, "that child have a been treated
shameful by those great nasty brutes of big boys."
And when Armine, too cold to sit anywhere but by the only fire in the
house, returned with a book and begged humbly for leave to warm
himself, he was installed on nurse's footstool, in front of a huge
fire, and hot tea and "lardy-cake" tendered for his refreshment,
while the maids by turns pitied and questioned him.
"Have you had a haccident, sir," asked cook.
"No," he wearily said.
"Have any one been doing anything to you, then?" And as he did not
answer she continued: "You need not think to blind me, sir; I sees it
as if it was in print. Them big boys have been a-misusing of you."
"Now, cook, you ain't to say a word to my mother," cried Armine,
vehemently. "Promise me."
"If you'll tell me all about it, sir," said cook, coaxingly.
"No," he answered, "I promised!" And he buried his head in nurse's
lap.
Pages:
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270