Gillian was trying to make Fergus tell her what his questions had been, and how he had answered them.
“I declare, Gill, you are as bad as some of the boys’ horrid governors. There was one whose father walked him up and down and wouldn’t let him play cricket, and went over all the old questions with him. I should never have got in, if papa hadn’t had more sense than to badger me out of my life.”
At the gate between the copper beeches the Underwoods and Merrifields parted, with an engagement to meet at the circus on the part of the boys and their conductors.
Fergus was greeted with open-mouthed, open-armed delight by all the assembled multitude, very little checked by the presence of Captain Armytage. Only Lady Merrifield did not say much, but there was a dew in her eyes as she held fast the little active fingers, and whispered--
Sir Jasper, in his grand and gracious manner, turned to his sister-in-law, saying--
“We could not but come first to you, Jane, for it is to you that he is indebted, as we all are, primarily for his success.”
“That is the greatest compliment I ever had, Jasper,” she answered, smiling but almost tearful, and laughing it off. “I feel ready to mount yonder elephant lady’s triumphal car.”
The General refrained from any more teasing of Fergus on his first impression; and at seven that evening the younger Merrifield boys with their uncle, and the two from St. Andrew’s Rock with Lance, set off in high spirits.
They re-appeared much sooner than they were expected at Beechcroft Cottage, where the Underwoods were spending the long twilight evening.
“A low concern!” was the General’s verdict.
“We fled simultaneously from the concluding ballet,” said Lance. “There had been quite as much as we could bear for ingenuous youth.”
“We stood the Sepoy’s Death Song,” said the General, “but the poster of the Bleeding Bride was enough for us.”
“They had only one elephant!” cried Adrian.
“No lions!” added Fely, “nothing to see but that poor old elephant! I wish he would have turned round and spouted water at them, as that one did to the tailor.”
“Water would be uncommonly good for them,” said the General, laughing, “they are not much acquainted therewith.”
“I see it on your forehead, poor boy,” said Geraldine.