"So! Then I go back the richer than I came only in the knowledge of you, but I would gladly have had one of you back with me."
"Go now, boys," said Sir Denzil, "and tell Mr. Eager I would be glad of a word with him." And wrenching their eyes from this phenomenal father, whose advances evoked no slightest response within them, they got out of the door somehow and ran down to the kitchen.
"Sir Denzil wants you to go up, Mr. Eager," began Jack.
"Our father's up there," broke in Jim.
But Mr. Eager had already heard the strange news from Mrs. Lee, and went up at once, full anxious on his own account to see what manner of man this unexpectedly-returned father might be, and rigorously endeavouring to preserve an open mind concerning him until he had something more to go upon than Mrs. Lee's curt but emphatic, "He's a divvle if ever there was one."
"Ah, Mr. Eager, this is my son Denzil, father of your boys," said the old man briefly, and helped himself to snuff and leaned back in his chair and watched them.
"I am glad to make your acquaintance, Mr. Eager,"--and a strong brown hand shot out to meet him. "Sir Denzil tells me that whatever good is in those boys is of your implanting. I thank you. You have done a good work there."
"They are fine lads," said Eager quietly. "It would have been an eternal pity if they had run to seed. We are making men of them."
"I have been trying to induce one of them to go back to France with me----"
"Which one?"