“Nine months, quite,” said Will. “Yes, you had better come, sir.”
“He’s hoping I won’t go,” said Arthur to himself; “and Dick hopes I won’t go; but I will go just out of spite, to let them see that I’m not going to let them have all their own way.”
“Oh, he’ll come,” said Dick, “and you’ll give him some good sport, won’t you? He hasn’t had any fishing since we’ve been down here. And I say, Josh, my father says he shall hold you responsible. No getting us run down this time.”
“Not I,” said Josh. “I’ll have a lantern hoisted as we row back, and no boats will come where we are fishing; it’s too rocky.”
“Let’s see the lines,” said Dick eagerly. “Oh, I say, what a hook! It’s too big.”
“Not it,” said Will. “Congers have big mouths, and they’re very strong.”
“What time shall we get back?”
“’Bout ten, sir,” said Josh, “and start at half-past five. We’ll have everything ready.”
Arthur turned to go directly after; and though Dick was anxious to stay he was more eager to make friends with his brother, and he followed him, to have his apology accepted at last, but not in the most amiable of ways.
The fact is Arthur would have held out longer, but he could not do so without jeopardising the evening trip, upon which he had set his mind.