CHAPTER XII
GOING HOME
"Jack," called Betty, a few days afterwards, "come in a minute. I want to speak to you."
Jack passed in rapid review his conduct of the last few days, and decided that there was nothing Aunt Betty could want to lecture him about, and yet the brevity of the summons sounded like the preface to a lecture. He came up the paddock rather reluctantly.
"Well," he said, joining her in the verandah, but not sitting down. "Don't keep me long, there's a dear. I'm making an aeroplane, and it's frightfully exciting."
"But I think the news I have for you will be frightfully exciting too," she said smiling at him.
Jack's eyes shone like stars. "Is it that father's coming?"
Betty's heart smote her that she had raised the boy's hope so high only to dash it again.
"Not quite so exciting as that, but something that will get you more ready to go to England. Father wants you to go to school in Melbourne, a boys' school that Uncle Tom knows about, and thinks a good one. Father is very anxious that you should be working hard now so that you will be able to take your place with other boys of your age when you go home."
Jack seized his cap from his head and sent it spinning into the air with a whoop of triumph.
"I should say it just was exciting! Why, Aunt Betty, it's glorious."