“Yes, sar,” said the waiter, a tall and immaculate Indian, in white clothes and a scarlet sash. He departed, to return presently.
“Young gen’lemen gone out, sar. Very early—before light. Not yet returned.”
“It’s very annoying,” Mr. Linton said, as the waiter withdrew. He laughed a little. “Jim has spoiled me, I suppose; he so rarely does anything eccentric that when he does, I feel injured.”
Norah answered his smile.
“Jim’s awfully dependable,” she said, with the quaint gravity which was wont to make Wally declare that she mistook herself for Jim’s aunt. “He’ll stroll in presently, Daddy, looking nice and calm, just as usual. They must have gone out exploring; the time here is so short, and it’s their first foreign land, so they want to see all they can.”
“Well, we don’t waste much time,” said Mr. Linton, still unappeased.
“No. But I expect they want to run free a bit. You know boys can’t want a girl with them all the time,” said Norah, sagely.
“I have not observed,” said her father, “that having you with them has made much difference to Jim and Wally’s fun in the past.”
“They’re awfully good about it,” Norah answered. “But I know other girls’ brothers object; most of them say they can’t be bothered with girls. Of course, Jim and I grew up mates, and that makes all the difference; I don’t really think he minds. But in a strange place they may want to go exploring, and a girl might be in the way.”
“Oh, possibly! All the same, I don’t know that I’m very keen on their getting too far off the beaten track, in a place like this—full of all sorts of natives. However, worrying does no good, and I suppose they’ll stroll in presently.” Mr. Linton applied himself to his breakfast. “This South African fish has a queer name, but it’s good, Norah; I’ll have some more.”