“Humph, yes. Now, Mr Schoolmaster, what’s it to be? Do you take these boys now, to bring them up before me and another magistrate to-morrow, or shall I have them marched off by my keeper to the lock-up?”
Chapter Fourteen.
Those were terrible moments, and I remember wishing that it would suddenly turn into darkest night, as we two lads stood there, shrinking from the eyes of those four men, at whom I glanced in turn, and they all impressed me differently. The general’s mouth was pursed up, and his walking cane, which, I perfectly recollect was a thick malacca with an ivory head, shook in his hand as if he was eager to lay it across our backs. Bob Hopley stood with his arms crossed over his gun, looking, as I thought, hurt, pained, and as if we had committed a most terrible crime. But there was no pain or trouble, as it seemed to me, in either Mr Rebble’s or Mr Hasnip’s face. It struck me that they were on the whole pleased and satisfied in having found us out in a deed that would give them an opportunity to punish us with heavy impositions.
All these thoughts had passed rapidly through my mind as I stood waiting to hear Mr Rebble’s response to the General’s question.
“I will take charge of the boys, sir,” he said importantly; “and I shall lay the matter at once before the notice of Doctor Browne.”
“Hang Doctor Browne!” said the General fiercely. “I want to know what he meant by bringing his confounded school and setting it up close under my nose. What did he mean? Eh?”
“I am Doctor Browne’s assistant master, Sir Hawkhurst,” replied Mr Rebble, with dignity, “and I cannot answer for his reasons.”
“Humph! You can’t, eh? You there in the dark barnacles,” cried the General, turning upon Mr Hasnip, “what have you to say?”