“Oh!” cried Will, with a deprecatory movement of his hand.
“He did; and that you had the spirit of a true gentleman in your breast. I say, Will Marion,” cried Dick, giving him a playful kick, “what a fellow you are! I’m as jealous of you as Taff is.”
“Nonsense!” cried Will; “and don’t you be so hard on him. Do you know what he did yesterday?”
“Made some disagreeable remark,” said Dick bitterly.
“He came up to me when I was alone and shook hands with me, and said he was very sorry that he had been so stuck-up and rude to me as he had been sometimes, and said it was all his ignorance, but he hoped he knew better now.”
“Taff did? Taff came and said that to you?” cried Dick excitedly.
“Yes; and we parted the best of friends.”
“There’s a chap for you!” cried Dick warmly. “There’s a brick! I say Taff is a fine fellow after all, only he got made so stuck-up and tall-hat and Eton jacketty at one school he went to. But, I say, my father wants you. Come along.”
Dick led the way into the parlour, where the object of their conversation was sitting by the window reading, and Mr Temple busy over some papers.
“Here’s Will, father,” said Dick.