Sarkies was taken aback. He had no idea that the elder meant to carry his threat out.
"Damfool!" he burst out savagely and loudly, for there was no danger of being overheard. Having relieved his feelings in this manner, he urged the old Arab forward, and the buggy once more joggled down the road.
It was not until the half-hour's recess that Eddy obtained an opportunity to deliver the note. He pulled out of his satchel, which hung on a peg in the veranda of the school, a brown paper parcel containing his lunch--egg sandwiches. Clutching this in one hand, he made his way to the back garden of the school, and found Flora Bullin there. It was their trysting place.
"Have a sweet?" she asked, handing him a lozenge which had become rather damp and limp in her hand.
"Lozengers--eh!" said Eddy, and transferred the delicate morsel to his mouth.
"I say," he said, "that's nice." He took a huge bite out of one of his egg sandwiches and began to speak again, with his mouth full.
"I say, Florry, Jim Sarkies is sweet on Lizzie."
"Lizzie is a horrid cat," replied Florry, as she soberly chose a sweet for herself out of a glass bottle. "She pinched me--awfool, last night, as I lay awake and listened. See there," and Florry bared a small arm showing the blue marks of a finger and thumb.
Eddy examined it gravely. "How did you get caught?" he inquired--"laff?"
"Yes."