He has all the sense on his side!"
"No, Babie," said Jock very gravely. "That's a much worse sort of
folly!"
"And he will be gone before long," said Barbara, much struck by a
tone entirely unwonted from her brother. "O Jock, I thought reverses
would be rather nice and help one to be heroic, and perhaps they
would, if they would only come faster, and Armine could be out of
Miss Parsons's way; but I don't believe he will ever be better while
he is here. I think!—-I think!" and she began to sob, "that Miss
Parsons will really be the death of him if she is not hindered!"
"Can't he go on board the Petrel with Allen?"
"Mother did think of that," said Babie, "but Allen said he wasn't in
spirits for the charge, and that cabin No. 2 wasn't comfortable
enough."
Jock was not the least surprised at this selfishness, but he said—-
"We _will_ get him away somehow, Infanta, never fear! And when you
have left this place, you'll be all right. You'll have the Friar,
and he is a host in himself."
"Yes," said Babie, ruefully, "but he is not a brother after all. Oh,
Jock! mother says it is very wrong in me, but I can't help it."
"What is wrong, little one?"
"To feel it so dreadful that you and Bobus are going! I know it is
honour and glory, and promotion, and chivalry, and Victoria crosses,
and all that Sydney and I used to care for; but, oh! we never thought
of those that stayed at home.
Pages:
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653