The visitors then entered a pleasant apartment, which looked shady and cool after the glare outside. The white walls were ornamented with the graceful arabesque designs in painting in which Oriental artistsexcel. There were on them also a few choice water-colour drawings, executed by Mr. Coldstream himself. He had considerable artistic talent, and had been stimulated to make finished pictures from rough sketches taken in England, that his bride might have pleasant reminders of home. The skins of a tiger, a bear, and two leopards, brought down by Oscar’s gun, were spread as rugs on the matted floor.
Dr. Pinfold looked around for his friends, but the sole occupant of the apartment was a lad about sixteen or seventeen years of age, who, with a large book open before him, sat with his chin resting on the palms of his thick hands. The youth seemed to be so much absorbed in what he was studying, that he at first hardly noticed the entrance of visitors. Dr. Pinfold on seeing him uttered an exclamation of astonishment rather than of pleasure.
“Why, Thud, you here! is it possible?” cried the doctor, moving forward and holding out his hand.
The lad who was thus addressed rose slowly, lazily, advanced two steps, and then rather touched than shook the extended hand, almost with the air of one who grudges the trouble of exchanging common civilities.
“What on earth brought you here?” exclaimed Pinfold.
“Of course one must travel if one wishes to absorb new ideas; science demands—”
“Oh, never mind science just now,” cried the doctor. “Did you come with your brother and sister?”
“I came with my sister and her husband,” was the reply. Thud was glancing at his open book as he spoke, as if he thought time lost in such commonplace conversation.
“How was it that I did not see you yesterday, Thud, when I went to the ship? I did not notice you when I was overhauling the luggage.”
“I was not going to overhaul luggage,” said Thud, with a touch of contempt in his tone. “I got out of the noise and racket as soon as I could, and took a stroll on the beach to look for conchological specimens.”