Meanwhile, the door of his room opens, and with the familiarity of an old comrade the captain enters.
"Will you not play a game of billiards with me, Edgar, before I drive out?" he asks.
Rohritz declares himself ready for a game.
CHAPTER XXIX.
[A STORM AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.]
The billiard-table is in the library, a long, narrow room, with a vast deal of old-fashioned learning enclosed in tall, glazed bookcases. In a metal cage between the windows swings a gray parrot with a red head, screaming monotonously, "Rascal! rascal!" The afternoon sun gleams upon the glass of the bookcases; the whole room is filled with blue-gray smoke, and looks very comfortable. The gentlemen are both excellent billiard-players, only Edgar is a little out of practice. Leaning on his cue, he is just contemplating with admiration a bold stroke of his friend's, when Freddy, quite beside himself, rushes into the room and into his father's arms.
"Why, what is it? what is the matter, old fellow?" the captain says, stroking his cheek kindly.
"Os--ostler Frank----" Freddy begins, but without another word he bursts into a fresh howl.
Startled by such sounds of woe from her son, Katrine hurries in, to find the captain seated in a huge leather arm-chair, the boy between his knees, vainly endeavouring to soothe him. Rohritz stands half smiling, half sympathetically, beside them, chalking his cue, while the parrot rattles at the bars of his cage and tries to out-shriek Freddy.
"What has happened? Has he hurt himself? What is the matter?" Katrine asks, in great agitation.