“Then I shall say no more,” said my uncle. “Try and be like your name, my boy, and you will find me ready to forgive your scrapes; but you must always be a gentleman.”
“Amen to that,” said the General, rising. “And now, my dear Mrs Burr, I will not say good-bye, but au revoir. Seaborough here tells me you are both going to stay in Hastings for a few days. I shall drive over and see you. Good-bye.”
He showed the same courtly respect to her again, and was rising to go when the Doctor re-entered, and they parted the best of friends.
“No, no, no,” cried the General, as the Doctor was coming out with him, “stay with your visitors. Odd meeting, wasn’t it? Here, you, Frank Burr, come and see me off. Good-day, Doctor, good-day. You and I must be better neighbours.”
“I shall be proud,” said the Doctor, and then I went to the cart with the General, who stood holding my hand at the step, and I could feel a coin therein.
“For you two boys,” he said. “There, good-bye, Frank Burr. You must grow up into a brave gentleman like your father. A thorough soldier, sir. God bless you, my boy! Good-bye.”
He took the reins and got in, the groom left the horse’s head and mounted beside him, and as the cart was driven off, and I stood there with a sovereign in my hand, Bob Hopley, who was in his place behind, gave me another solemn wink, while, after noticing the hired carriage in which my mother and my uncle had driven over from Hastings, I went back into the room and stayed with them, and afterwards went to show them the building and grounds.
An hour after, they were gone, while I hurried off to find Mercer and show him the sovereign.
“Well,” he said, “that’s all right. But, I say, don’t some things turn out rum! What are you going to do with all that money?”
“Half’s yours,” I said.