Ruby looked at him sharply.
“Then there is something to know,” she said. “Now you might as well tell us all about it. Is old Adam a wizard?”
“That he’s not,” answered the boy stoutly, “if so be, as I take it, that a wizard means one that has to do with bad spirits—unkind and mischief-making and unloving, call them what you will. None of such like would come near gran, or, if they did, he’d soon send them to the right-about. I’d like you to see him for yourself some day, but not to-day, if you’ll excuse it. He’s very tired. I was running down to the shore to fetch a pailful of sea water to bathe his lame arm.”
“Then we mustn’t keep you,” said Mavis. “But might we really come to see your grandfather some day, do you think?”
“I’ll ask him,” said the boy; “and I think he’d be pleased to see you.”
“You might come up to the castle if there’s anything he would like—a little soup or anything,” said Ruby in her patronising way. “I’ll speak to the housekeeper.”
“Thank you, miss,” said the boy, but more hesitatingly than he had spoken before.
“What’s your name?” asked Ruby. “We’d better know it, so that you can say who you are when you come.”
“Winfried,” he answered simply.
“Then good-bye, Winfried,” said Ruby. “Come on, Mavis;” and she turned to pursue her way home past the cottage.