“Mums,” he said, “will you come up and look at Jap? He’s caught cold or something, and he seems so queer. He doesn’t want to get up, and you know he’s never lazy.”
Mrs Fortescue needed no second bidding. She was in Jasper’s little room in another minute.
“What’s the matter, darling?” she asked anxiously.
“My ’hroat’s razer sore, Mumsey darlin’,” he said, “and I’m tired in my head. Must I get up?”
“No, no. Stay in bed and I’ll send up some nice breakfast,” she replied, and as she met Roland following her—“Roley, dear,” she said, “I hope it’s only a cold, but I must get the doctor—or a doctor, for it’s so far to send for our own from here.”
“Let me go,” the boy replied. “It’s better to have some one we know. I’ll take the ’bus and be very quick, and you can give me a note to explain why I’m late at Mr Banbury’s,” and he was off, almost before his mother realised that he was going.
After all it was not so very far to go, and as Roland at once caught the omnibus, which all but passed Dr Wilkins’ door, he was back before breakfast was finished.
“What’s Japs doing?” Chrissie had asked, as she and Leila made their appearance, by no means too early.
“He is not well,” her mother replied. “I hope it is only a cold, but—”
“Oh, by-the-bye,” Leila interrupted, “Miss Greenall thought he wasn’t well at lessons yesterday.”