"If you did? Why, you let him down on Golders Hill and cut his knees."
"Holly Mount," said Nicky.
"Holly Mount or Golders Hill, it's all the same to you, you young monkey."
"It isn't, Daddy. Holly Mount's much the worst. It's an awful hill."
"That," said Anthony, "is why you're forbidden to ride down it. You've got to be spanked for this, Nicky."
"Have I? All right. Don't look so unhappy, Daddy."
Anthony did much better this time. Nicky (though he shook with laughter) owned it very handsomely. And Anthony had handicapped himself again by doing it through the cloth. He drew the line at shaming Nicky. (Yet--could you have shamed his indomitable impudence?)
But he had done it. He had done it ruthlessly, while the strawberries were still wet on Nicky's mouth.
And when it was all over Michael, looking for his father, came into the school-room where these things happened. He said he was awfully sorry, but he'd taken Roger out, and Roger had gone down on his knees and cut himself.
No, it wasn't on Holly Mount, it was at the turn of the road on the hill past the "Spaniards."