“Julia! Julia!” cried Jack, reprovingly; for in reality her sallies kept him in constant anxiety.
“I can't help it, Jack; I must be prudent, even if I shock you by my precautions. I repeat, if these be love-letters?”
“Well, I can answer so far,” said Augustus. “They are not,—at least, I can almost assert they are not.”
“I wish Nelly would go,” said Julia, with mock seriousness. “I see Jack is wretched about it; and, after all, Mr. Sedley, though not exactly a young man—”
“I declare this is too bad,” said Jack, rising angrily from the table, and then throwing himself back in his chair, as in conflict with his own temper.
“She is provoking, there is no doubt of it, and on board ship we 'd not stand that sort of thing five minutes,” said Julia, with a demure air; “but on land, and amongst terrestrial creatures, Master Jack, I know nothing for it but patience.”
“Patience!” muttered he, with an expression that made them all burst out laughing.
“So I may tell Sedley you will aid him?” asked Bramleigh.
“I'm ready, now. Indeed, the sooner begun the better; for we have a long walk project—haven 't we, Jack?—for this afternoon.”
“Yes, if we have patience for it,” said he. And once more the laugh broke forth as they arose from table and separated into little knots and groups through the room.