“What man?”
“This man what’s goin’ to drive it for us——”
But this touched Robert on a tender spot.
“Any car belonging to the house will be driven by me,” he said firmly.
William was nonplussed for a minute. Then he said gently, “I don’ think Robert ought to tire himself out drivin’ cars. I think Robert ought to be keepin’ himself fresh for his exams an’ things, not tire himself out drivin’ cars. This man’d drive it an’ save Robert the trouble of tirin’ himself out drivin’ cars because Robert’s got his exams an’ things to keep fresh for. An’ besides all these girls what Robert likes to take out with him—he wun’t talk to ’em prop’ly if he had to be tirin’ himself out drivin’ the car all the time——”
“Shut up,” ordered Robert angrily.
Temporarily William shut up.
“Are you taking Gladys Oldham on the river this afternoon?” said his mother.
“Gladys Oldham?” said Robert coldly. “Whatever made you think I’d be taking a girl like Gladys Oldham anywhere?”
His mother looked bewildered.