Becky gave a solemn shake of the head.
“He’s more than nice,” she said; “he’s just splendid. Do you know what he did for father?”
Mr Price did not know; and Becky, strengthened and refreshed by her dinner, sat up eagerly on her sofa and told him the whole story, to which he listened very gravely.
“Well, that’s a very good job,” he said, as she ended. “We must hope Mr Tuvvy will be able to keep straight. But there’s lots of public-houses in Upwell, you know, as well as the Cross Keys at Fieldside, to tempt a man.”
“They don’t matter near so much,” said Becky. “Father don’t as a rule want to go out again after he’s once home. Not unless,” she added, with a little sigh, “it’s washing day.”
Dr Price gave a slow smile, took out his watch, and jumped to his feet with a suddenness that made Becky start.
“I ought to be seven miles off by this,” he said, striding to the door. “Good-bye, Becky.”
He seemed to Becky to make one spring from the door to his horse’s back, and to gallop furiously up the street the next minute. There were one or two sharp, shrill shrieks from Snip and Snap as they tore after him, and then all was silent.
Dr Price’s visits often ended in this abrupt way, but Becky wished he could have stayed a little longer this afternoon, for she was just going to ask him to take a message for her to Master Dennis, and say how very grateful she and Dan felt. However, as that could not be, she comforted herself by making up her mind to ask him next time he came, and settled cosily down to wait for Dan’s arrival, when she could tell him all that had passed.