"I'm very sure you won't," cried Dick, putting a bold face on his qualms. "Good-bye, Mr. Mawdster. I trust mine may be the pleasure of never seeing your face again!"
CHAPTER XVIII
Fluffy Jim provides a Sensation
Moonlight mingled its rays with daylight as Dick passed up the main street, his heart feeling "like a flake of pure delight borne on an ocean wide". He ran along the pavement, not caring that there were no coins in his pocket to jingle in harmony with his movements. How much better was an easy conscience than a heavy purse!
Knowing that he ought now to get quickly back to school, he was not too pleased to have a detaining hand laid on his sleeve, and to find, on turning abruptly, the grinning face of Fluffy Jim gazing amiably at him.
"Don't try to stop me, Jim, there's a good chap," he said. "I'm in a hurry."
"Um," said Fluffy Jim, "um." But he still kept his tight hold on Dick's sleeve. Something seemed to be on his mind, though he failed in language to express it.
"Anything up, Jim?" queried Dick, impatiently. "If so, get it off your chest. I haven't a minute to spare."
"Um," said Fluffy Jim again. Then, removing from his lips a short clay pipe, he pointed with it to the moonlit hills.
"Want ter show thee summat," he said. "Summat funny, like."