Mike just then brought in a dish of hot bread-cakes, and no more was said until he had left the room, when Mr. Kenyon continued:—
"Take it altogether, Hal, you are not such a bad sort of boy, and I like the way in which you devote yourself to the collecting for the museum; but I do wonder at an English lad calmly letting one of these Siamese boys leave him behind."
"Oh, but he's the son of a king," said Harry, smiling.
"Tchah! What of that? Suppose he is a prince by birth, like a score more of them, that is no reason why he should beat you."
"He can't, father," said Harry sturdily.
"Well, he seems to."
"If I liked to try hard, I could leave him all behind nowhere."
"Then, why don't you try hard, sir?"
"It's so hot, father."
"And you are so lazy, sir."