"It did," was the answer, given in a dignified manner.
"Oh, sorry, then! You were looking for someone, weren't you?"
"Yes, for you. We—my sister Nellie and I—have come to see you. Father says you're going to spend Saturday with us at Haldon Hall."
"Oh, yes! He asked me, and I said I would, I like your father, he's so jolly."
There was a slight pause. Bob Wills stood with his hands thrust in his trousers pockets, in an attitude of unstudied carelessness. Though only the age of Rupert, he had an assured manner, and appeared older than his years. He had grieved deeply at the loss of his father, and there was still a very sore spot in this heart; but the kindness of his aunt and uncle had done much to assuage his sorrow, and already he was beginning to take an interest in his new surroundings. He was the one to break the silence.
"I say, how you two stared at me the day I arrived!" he remarked. "Did you think me a wild animal?"
"No, we knew who you were," Nellie replied, a smile breaking over her countenance; "we'd just been hearing about you, and—and I'm afraid we were rather rude, but not so rude as you. I never saw any one make such faces!"
The next moment ... a fair-haired boy dropped
from the lower branch of a tree.
Bob laughed, and drew his face into a most hideous grimace. He appeared quite proud of this capability of distorting his visage, which he evidently considered a great accomplishment, and explained that he had learnt it at school.