Show Concer big a Bop B op i Kenn tt Burrow or of the tbt Way of th Wind tb Lb Tire Tm of Life Lif 1 etc etc 4 jom r me get et out o 0 that i r mm y got get out of it with singular and stood td at the thed d r of the barn He had been working woking wo th to the best of his strength and the imminent risk f his fingers antI and though he obeyed I th It o ue ic it was with a feeling of dam dum 1 nit He looked back Lack into the h of o the building I J va a Fit h you ou might be more mOM po pa lit YOU AOU know An lei Jet L you ou mangle yourself Maste T Tin in int t r v was is all aU right ri ht said aRm Tommy Tomm Be Bei i I was vas helping you I Ji ih h grinned i he said you ou ad cut i a i teacupful I P t ih n h said Tommy why I 1 was as turning the wheel l for half an hour been altogether so that the boy after se g a block of chalk departed on another er quest Then he be went to the poultry yard and mesmerised a hen by drawing draing a chalk circle around it that however was a slow occupation and after he had laughed at the idiotic ex or the fowl he went WIlt away awa en entirely forgetting to release it from bondage After that he journeyed to see the tile boot boy who always had in interesting interesting things in his pockets and Knew birds nests were to be found but the boot noot boy had gone on ona ona ona a round of erra errands ds and the housekeep housekeeper er or was cross because she had particularly particularly particularly wanted him that afternoon there therewa wa was no sympathy to be had there Then came the episode of the chaff cutter which had promised so well and ended so 80 unsatisfactorily When Then Tommy strolled off ot in the May lIay sunshine there fare tere em He lie was as naturally in a 3 condition of i j 2 0 N I 1 I c J JI JI i I I I I vi i crI I JAIl I 1 J 6 A I 4 I V J JJ I J I J lP HE MARCHED OFF OPI WITH HIS HANDS IN HIS EIS POCKETS rth i the th die whet wheel w J aint every thin r r ni ill a bad temper Fitch I 1 dont Ilk like M I 1 youre nu re In a bad id temper HI j grinned again ana an began ben to toi i tru of hay bay 1 I Ym m not Master Kamer Tim he be said akl I n t have you with Mth my myn 11 r a n nd i addrin adi of yourself I It In In t 1 n w t Md nud have hae put pot pu a stone In Ini I thought a i t huu ht OB on It Itt 11 t such uh a kid as at asail all that said sa id 1 C aHI l he marched off with his hu d hit his hi p y haft had ha set out with the notion a i pleasant JI nt afternoon t I i I the billiard room main bt th g II there his TI t fly nl refused fu to let Iet him have I ft k hh hu h h was van aM bad enough but bat also i 11 i lined to resent reseat his intrusion lon I high discontent I H He put It all his misfortunes down to I the presence of guests in the house he disapproved dl of guests unless 6 they the hap to be De boys In one way or an another another another j other th they y were always upsetting his hie plans plaus appearing at inopportune mo mot moI I t ments monte or crossing croe his trails Then they t were ere too serious even over billiards width wh in l Tommys Tommy view consisted in I har hard driving round the table romp they even use their i t rue cues lie and singlesticks and aim at one t 1 another heads head It seemed to Tommy that It want worth while to grow old oW older oWer er at a t alt si If all the fun were to be left behind It R appeared to him that grown grownups grownups ups tips wasted their opportunities far more morr than but they the were never told toW I of ef It as a he be was so 80 persistently I He strolled round to the tennis t ground still with his hands In his pockets in the vague hope that he might induce some one to play with him But the two courts were deserted and the nets sagged sagred despondingly Well Im said Tommy of all the slow places To the south of the tennis court was vas wasa vasa a little wood of beeches and beyond b yond that a stream The boot boy had in instructed Tommy in the art of loach bach I and as there seemed nothing else to do he h determined to devote an hour In that pursuit There much fun in doing it alone wone but still it vi was as better than nothing Accordingly Tommy dived through the wood sat down on the bank of the stream and proceeded to take his shoes and stock stockings stockIngs stockings ings off offIt offIt offIt It was pleasant after acter all to feel the cool clear water rippling against his legs and once you began searching the stream for fish there were all sorts of strange and pretty things to be seen at the bottom colored pebbles and the like but when the pebbles were picked up and dried all the colors disappeared This however was so perfectly in ac accord accord accord cord with fairy airy stories that Tommy mind After a time he ho found a loach bach with its wavy body set toward a astone astone astone stone Very Tery cautiously he got his hand below it and with a mighty jerk sent it high on to the tank hank It was a most successful capture and put him himin himin himin in a good temper at once But a a dead loach bach was no use to him and he had brought no no jar with him accordingly he held neld the fish In the water with one hand that it might not die dlO dl prematurely and with the other made a dock for its reception When the loach leach was trans mans transferred transferred to this it app red ired rather flabby and inclined to lIe He over oyer on Its side but Tommy had a hopeful temperament What are you asked a voice Tommy stood bolt upright with his hisle legs le s straddled and stared round Hello Miss Mortimer he said I Isny Imy ally my you ou did give me a fright I Miss Mortimer was sitting on a fallen tree trunk just in the shadow of the wood She held her index finger be between between between tween the pages of a book I 1 cant get getaway getaway getaway away from these people anyhow how its sickening Tommy thought Im sorry I frightened d you said aid Miss Mortimer ner What you doing there Tickling said Tommy Timmy T Tickling Tickling loach loath Is that a fish Yes Ye said Tommy Pvc Ive just caught aught one You may come and look at aLIt At if you like Miss Mortimer laid down her he book boob and stepped across to the side of the stream There it is said Tommy It looks a bit queer it Very queer I dont think its well the fall hurt it Very likely poor thing Could we do anything to make it ii better Tommy asked stirring it up u with his finger Put it back in the stream tp Put it back The suggestion was so sc startling that Tommy hardly be lieve his ears Yes put it back A dead fish fist L be any good gund to you would it It big enough to cook besides you like to eat a thing that thai had bad died would you jou But fish always alas die before i eaten said Tommy rommy they must of ot r course But this Is 19 a lingering death said I Miss Mortimer whose logic l gic was un unequal unequal unequal equal to such an en argument Do put I I it back back Tommy to please me she f head he ad added ded laying on his shoulder or Of course It you really want me meto meto meto I to said Tommy Then brightening up upI I 1 might catch it again another day when its better b Of course cOurse you ou might said t Miss I Mortimer gravely gr vely Then here goes said Tommy He Heup I picked up the unfortunate fish held h ld it Itin Itin f in n his hot h ot hand ha to tow towards ards the girl g Irl for her closer inspection and then th p dropped dr ped it jt into the or Thank you Tommy said Miss Mortimer I believe the beast was shamming you sham if you were caught like that I might Tommy admitted Will you come and talk to me for a time Im alone you ou see All AH right ri t said Tommy He would have preferred to go on tickling but buthe buthe he ne was a polite boy to ladies besides he had a great admiration adm lation for Miss Mortimer Indoors he was w s a little shy of her but out there he h felt that he could tell her things already that afternoon he had taught her some something something something thing They went together to the fallen faIl en tree and Tommy sat beside Miss tUss Mortimer and rubbed his pink feet together re reflectively She put an arm attn round ro nd his shoulder and stroked his untidy hair Tommy rather liked that though th ugh he would not have said sa so for the world What have you been doing all the afternoon Nothing much Wont you tell me meO mea O a if you like bike said Tommy and he proceeded to give her an account of his unsatisfactory doings The he theme was engrossing Dont you like Jike Mr Fitton 1 Hes all right except when hes play ing inK billiards I collared a piece or of chalk though bugh He produced the chalk from his pock pocket et for Miss Mortimers admiration Beautiful she said Id like to run away said Tommy only I go alone you ou know could I Run away o be splendid I should rather like to go with you your old chap Could you cried Tommy Well Im not a boy you see That matter Im afraid it does said Miss Mor Mortimer timer You could dress up like a aI b Y I wonder how hov I should look Jook look jolly said Tommy have to have your hair cut though or take you for a poet or something That would never do said Miss Mortimer If we could only do it iU said Tommy Well Wen think about it shall we If you like said Tommy He did not feel very hopeful Even Eveh In his small experience delays were usually fatal Miss Mortimer was not slow to observe his hig dejection Poor Tommy she said youre a adear adear adear dear boy and not so very naughty She drew him closer and kissed him Now Tommy In the ordinary way did not care for kisses but that one was not at all unpleasant and he lie how funny girls were After a time Miss Mortimer cried out suddenly Oh Tommy that in the stream Tommy darted off oft and rescued his shoes and stockings which had bad slipped into the water from the bank He canie caine back carrying the shoes into which he had stuffed his stockings by their J I laces He H was chuckling delightedly MJ I dont see gee anything to laugh at I said Miss Mortimer Its awfully funny said Tommy Tomm TommI I going into an explosion I expect they fell feU on the old loach bach and finished him What are you going to do Bare feet are all right I often go about in bare feet Dad says its good for me Miss Mortimer glanced at his strong stron young limbs and smiled I 1 dare Sly say it Is she said itI Q i J you better take the stockings out of the I boots and spread them out to dry I Oh it matter Tommy youre lazy She did it herself while the boy watched with a thoughtful pucker on his forehead Im not really lazy you know he said No Only always setting me to do things that arent any use i U t I tj j w 4 VA VAz z c kAJ kj r rr r r a a 7 2 I I HELLO RELLO MISS I SAY YOU DID G ME A FRIGHT Stockings are of use useI i iI 1 I thinking about stockings Im going to be a sailor and they give gie me a lot of sums to do Sums are no good to a sailor Oh yes they are Well I asked Uncle Joe to help me methe methe methe the other day da hes a captain you ou know and he t S Perhaps he said Miss Mortimer j I He Tommy insisted He know kno what a common denominator denomInator ator was as Dreadful cried Miss Mortimer who wh had hail entirely forgotten what it was w s her herself herself herself self To her relief Tommy abruptly left that subject I wish ISh I had another block of chalk he said one enough I might Ipse lose it and then I should be bedone bedone bedone done 4 I see seC said Miss lUss Il s Mortimer Then she flushed slightly and smiled begin beginning beginning beginning ning to stroke tommys T mys hair again Do you ou particularly want it this afternoon 1 she said saidI I could do without it of course said Tommy heroically I think I can manage it for you Miss Mortimer Montimer took a notebook from rom her pocket awl ani t tore re uta suta leaf on w which i 1 she pr her compliments to Mr Ir and will he kindly give the bearer a apiece apiece apiece piece of chalk to make a pair The bearer collared the other piece niece from under Mr eyes this afternoon Having HaYing folded this missive and written Mr Fit name L upon it she handed it to t the boy b There she said sald take that to Mr lr Fitton and come back and tell me rae what happens If hes not ri t In the billiard room what shall I do ito 1 I dU ent go into the draw in oom with bare fet fiet 1 If he ha is not in the billiard rd room rams L bring the note back hack to me And Tom Tommy Tommy my dont tell ten Mr Fitton where I am All right rI bt said d Tommy He set off oil at t top speed the wood and an I acro across s the lawn and dashed into the th i billiard room like JUre a runner the tape Hello Mr Fitton rose from a seat seal in the window and stared at Tommy then lie broke Into a pleasant peasant laugh Well Veil youngster what do you ym L want he d Please Ive brought brou t this said zak Tommy breathlessly bre ly hoMing holding out the note Mr Fitt Fitton n took it with a dered air aJr carefully opened its many inan folds and real r d Then an expression came into his eyes which entirely re reassured reassured assured Tommy even though thou the next words were ere startling enough e eSo So you collared a piece pIce of gf chalk this afternoon eh elf Yes said Tommy fc a And you want another piece 7 If you please Well ell there you are Tommy slipped the block into his pocket said Thank you yo and turned to go Hold Hotd on Where is Js Mists KiM Mortimer to W tell you Where have you been By the stream Tommy suddenly realized realised that be he was wason wason wason on the point of giving Miss Kiss Mortimer away and added hurriedly Bat t she fishing with me sue Good boy said Mr Fitton I 1 wont try to find out your secret He turned the note over and over in his bis fingers looked out of the window pinched one of Tommys legs l appeared to hesitate about something and finally said saM By Jove I will and walked to a writing May Way I go goT asked Tommy Not yet old man Here think what buy with this while I write a note Dete He gave Tommy a piece and the boys hoys boy s thoughts instantly ln ran riot over a chaos of possible po sible pur purchases purchases ur chases eba es They particularly inclined however toward leaden soldiers and cannon with peEs peas pe s for balls The after afternoon afternoon afternoon noon was as turning out famously after all aJi When Mr Fitton had finished he took tonIc tooka tonIca a diamond ring from his little Jitt Ie finger fi er a aad ad d slipped it I the ue envelope with the note There bere he be said go straight to Miss Kiss Mortimer with that will your you r ruAll AH Alt right said saki Tommy I say zay I wish teach me to play billiards I will some s me day when youre big biS bigger biSger bigger ger gerI I II I could stand on 00 a footstool said saidI Tommy I So you could 00 to o 0 be sure Perhaps well weil try tomorrow With h this comforting prospect in view Tommy dashed bark back to Miss Misa g Mortimer Ive got the ik he be said aW and hand this Miss Mortimer looked at the th piece in his band and blushed And Mr r Fitton sent nt this to you Tommy went on I 1 think theres there some something something something thing inside Miss Mortimers Mush blush deepened as 85 she opened the envelope and When the ring fell feU out her ber lips parted to ia free something between be veen a sigh and a sob BOb Then she read what Mr Fitton Vid written ri After a long silence Tommy Tomm looked up and saw Miss Mortimer racher trem tremulously trying to slip the ring on to her finger Its awfully pretty pre t k It t Tommy Tom Tommy Tommy my said Yes Shall I wear It K or throw it ft into the stream Mr Fitton says s ys I may do which I like Eke I 1 should it for anything else said Tommy But I dare say you wont want anything an else sise elseI I it Tommy See It ft just fits me The ring rin shone on the third finger of or her left hand basiL handI basiLI I 1 should leave It there then said BUd Tommy uy I think I shall shaH said Miss Morti Mortimer MertlAnd mer IDer merAnd And then tb n to ro o Tommys intense sur surprise prise |