“Thank you for the compliment,” said Waller, laughing; “but you are wrong. I have gone on stealing every day, everything you have had; only it was only my own breakfast and dinner.”
“Then you have been starving yourself for me!” said Godfrey excitedly.
“Oh, no, I haven’t,” cried Waller merrily, “only I’ve got the credit of being such a pig that cook’s quite anxious about me. It was only the day before yesterday she wanted me to take some physic; said I was eating twice as much as was good for me, and it made her very anxious, and she wished my father would come home.”
“Yes,” cried Godfrey, “your father, too. Why, you told me long ago that you expected him every day.”
“Well, so I did; but he doesn’t come, and he doesn’t write. I don’t know why it is; but, of course, he will come some day.”
“Yes, and there will be terrible trouble about your harbouring me. Oh, Waller, I did hope your man of the woods would have got a passage for me in some boat. Why, it’s four days since he was here and promised to make that right.”
“Oh, give him time,” said Waller impatiently; “and do pray leave off grumbling when things are going so well.”
“Going so well?”
“Yes, I didn’t tell you. I was saving it up, only we got talking about other things. I have some news. The soldiers are gone. I am sorry to say.”
“You are sorry to say?”