"No, you won't," I said. "As to that, I shall put my foot down. If anyone goes––"
"Nobody shall go but myself. I won't have it. I––"
"And I won't have you go, if I'm forced to snatch you up and put you in my pocket. When I get you safely to Orsières, I don't mind a bit––"
"No, no, you needn't say it. If we must go on to Orsières, I'll pay someone to come back from there, and search."
"Why shouldn't I be the one? I'm not tired, only rather cross, and for all you know, I may be in urgent need of the reward you mean to offer."
"You must be satisfied with your virtue. I've my own reasons, and—and I suppose I'm my own master?"
"By Jove!" I exclaimed, laughing. "Eton would have done you a lot of good. You would have had some of your girly whims knocked out of you there, my kid."
"I wonder if that would have done me good?"
"It isn't too late to try. You haven't passed the age."
"I dare say travelling about with you will have much the same effect," said the Boy, suddenly become an imp again. "I think I'll just 'sample' that experiment first. But I do want my bag."