He approached her with some awe.
'Can you play with your head too?' he asked; then he noticed there were tears running down her cheeks. 'Don't cry,' he said; 'I'll run out and ask mother to let you off. Did she say you'd got to practise an hour? Oh, I'll soon get her to let you off!'
Challis smiled faintly through her tears.
'It's all right,' she said; 'don't disturb mother. No one told me to practise.'
'Well, you are a muggins!' said the uncouth bushikin. 'Catch me setting myself a copy or a sum! Why don't you go out and play?'
Challis let a new tear fall.
'I don't know how to play at anything,' she said. 'I never had any one to play with.'
Roly's breast swelled with magnanimity.
'Look here,' he said, 'you can be Cronje if you like. Here, you can have these two for your weapons.' He handed her the stove-brush and the corkscrew. 'Come on down here, I'll soon show you how to do it.'
Challis shook her head.