"Yes," replied Sue: "you go better than Walter Cross now, and he's been trying ever so long."
So they all went out to the front-door, to see how the novice would succeed there. The sequel was, that Johnny rode out of sight, and left them gazing into vacancy.
"If that boy don't beat all!" said Kate. "Law, ma'am, he'll be on the race-course before we know it."
"That is a good joke!" said Mrs. Le Bras, laughing: "our professor on the race-course! Aren't you afraid you have lost your bicycle, Felix?"
"No," replied Felix: "this is prime! for uncle will have to get Johnny a bicycle now, and then we can ride everywhere together, when my ankle gets well; for by that time he can ride capitally, I'll bet."
Johnny came back in about half an hour, quite flushed with success and exercise, and looking very animated.
"I surprised the boys I met," said he. "I met Alec and Fred walking together, and they said, 'Oh, you've got a bicycle too! Now you must go to ride with us.' They were a good deal disappointed when I said it wasn't my own."
"You've got to have one," said Felix: "I'm going to tell uncle Frank so this noon!"
"No," replied Johnny. "I can't buy one,—they cost too much: but perhaps I can hire one while you are here, sometimes; I know a boy who rents his for so much an hour, when he don't want to use it himself."
The bicycle was put away; and then Johnny, who had enjoyed his success and the ride very much, began to feel grateful to Felix for letting him take it, and for saying he could use it every day until his ankle got well. It no longer seemed such a heavy task to think up some amusement for his cousin. Mrs. Le Bras had sat down at the sitting-room window with her sewing. Johnny stole up to her, while Felix was whittling into the waste-basket, with his back turned that way, and whistling rather drearily. "Mother," said he, "I have a mind to ask Felix to come up and see the sky-room."