“Hullo! What does that mean, sir?” cried the colonel. “Glad I am going into danger?”
“Of course not, father,” said Perry. “I was only laughing because you promised to take me, and you can’t break your word.”
The colonel leaned back and laughed.
“And I’ve come with a petition, father,” said Perry.
“Petition?”
“Yes; you said that it would be nice for me to be with Cyril Norton.”
“Yes, I rather like the lad. He’s a rackety, wild young dog, but there’s a good deal of the gentleman about him. But what do you mean! You said you did not want to stay here.”
“Yes, father, but he wants to stay with us.”
“Stay with us? We’re not going to stay here.”
“I mean, go with us. He is wild to go. Take him with us, father. I should like it so much.”