"It served you quite right, father," said Humphrey, "for not letting me turn on the tap. You know quite well Miles and I always take turns to do it. Oh! I wish it would happen again!" And at the recollection, the merry laugh broke out once more.
But the mention of the little prisoner up-stairs, recalled Sir Everard to a sense of his duty, for Miles was suffering for his brother's thoughtlessness. So he gave Humphrey a long lecture on leading his brother astray and threatened him with the continual espionage of Virginie in the garden if he had any more complaints of the kind.
Humphrey sat looking very mournful while the discourse lasted, and was vehement in his promises that it should never happen again.
"Till next time, I suppose," said the baronet, laughing; and then he gave him some bread and honey and took up the newspaper.
He felt rather proud of the effect he had produced, for Humphrey ate his bread and honey in silence, and seemed very thoughtful.
"Boys will not attend to the maids," he reflected; "there is nothing like the authority of a parent after all."
In about five minutes, Humphrey's meditations came to a close.
"Father!"
"What, my boy," said Sir Everard, putting down the paper, in anticipation of some penitent speech, and mentally saying, "I did not mean him to take it so much to heart, poor child!"