“That I had got to prove to him that you was brave, and was noble—he likes people who are that; and his eyes flashed. Don’t you like father’s eyes when they grow all of a sudden so very bright? Well, they growed like that when I said you was brave, and noble; only he said you must prove it.”
“Oh! you did put your foot into things,” said Harriet. “How on earth am I to prove it.”
“Why, do something brave and noble,” said Ralph. “I thought I’d tell you, ’cause father said he must know his own self, and then he’ll decide. He is going to decide as soon as ever we get back to Sunshine Lodge—oh! and there he is calling me! Now I must run to him. Coming, father, coming—this instant-minute!” and Ralph lost his hold of Harriet’s hand and flew off to meet his parent.
“Does you want me to swarm up to the top of that tall tree, father? I can, you know: I isn’t a bit frighted,” said Ralph.
Mr Durrant stood and smiled.
“You mustn’t go too far,” he said, “I don’t want you to fall and hurt yourself.”
“No,” said Ralph, “that wouldn’t be right, would it? Special ’cause there’s no water underneath. If I was to run up this tree, and run along that bough that bends over so, and it cracked, same as willow bough cracked, I—”
Then he stopped and turned very red. Durrant was standing very upright and apparently not listening. Ralph felt a choking sensation in his throat. How very nearly he had betrayed himself!
“Was you listening, father?” he said, after a pause; and he came up and pulled the brown man by the sleeve.
“To what, my boy?”