At this moment, who should march gravely up, and raise his hat with what he firmly believes to be an air of the most refined fashion, but Mr. Pod Piper? Mr. Piper wears a wideawake and a fashionable tweed suit. He has taken care to button up his coat two minutes ago, so as to hide from Mr. Kelvin's eyes the elaborate filigree chain, of Palais Royal workmanship, which is festooned across his waistcoat. But the huge pin in his scarf cannot be so easily kept out of sight, and all the time he is talking to Mr. Kelvin he feels--and the feeling gives him what he calls the "tingles"--that that gentleman is critically regarding it, and as he stands there he inwardly resolves that he will make a present of it to his bosom friend, Bob Tacket, the very day he gets back to Pembridge, and that he will never wear another pin in his scarf as long as he lives.
"Why, Piper, is that you?" says Mr. Kelvin, in his most pleasant voice. "Got back safe and sound, eh? How have you enjoyed yourself?"
"Oh, splendidly, sir!--thanks to you. Never had such a holiday before. Paris is a wonderful place, sir!"
"I suppose you speak French like a native by this time, eh?"
"Not quite that, sir. I know about fifty words, and I've got along famously. Fifty words are quite enough to go from one end of the country to the other with: a smile and a shrug go such a long way with the French."
"I think you had better not cross till to-morrow morning," says Mr. Kelvin. "You can then take over with you some papers for Mr. Bray. We dine at six, and you must dine with us to-day."
Pod stammers out something--he hardly knows what--and colours up to the roots of his hair. Dine with the governor! What will they say at Pembridge when he tells them? He feels himself grow an inch taller in two minutes. After a few kind words from Mrs. Kelvin, he is dismissed till six o'clock.
Pod's trip to Paris is accounted for by the fact of his employer having made him a present of a twenty-pound note and a week's holiday. Ten pounds out of the twenty Pod has given to his mother. With the remaining ten, and some previous savings, he has enjoyed himself for a week in Paris.
"You don't mean to say, Matthew, that that boy has been to Paris all alone?"
"I suppose he has. Why not?"