“I think it will be very stupid if we do nothing else than that,” said Norman. “It might be better if we could shoot or fish, or if there is a boat in which the other boys and I can row about.”
“I daresay our friends will try to find amusement for you little boys as well as for the older persons of the party, though, if you wish it, we might possibly make arrangements to leave you behind,” observed Mrs Maclean.
“No, no, I should not like that,” answered Norman, shaking his head. “I will go to see what is done.”
Mrs Maclean smiled at the young gentleman’s answer.
The rest of the party soon entered the breakfast-room. Captain Vallery came last. Fanny jumped up to throw her arms round his neck and kiss him; but Norman did not leave his seat; he had been looking out for the presents of which his papa had spoken. He was much disappointed when he saw him deposit two small parcels on the sideboard.
“We will look at them after prayers,” he observed.
Mr Maclean kept to the good custom of having all the servants in to morning prayers, and reading to them from God’s Word. Norman attended very little to what was said, as he was wondering all the time what could be in the parcels.
“I wish they had been bigger,” he thought, “for I am afraid papa has, after all, brought some stupid little things which I shall not care about, and perhaps Fanny’s will be better than mine.”
The patience of Norman was still further to be tried, for his papa, who was hungry, forgot all about the presents, and took his seat with the rest of the party at the breakfast table.
“Come, my boy, eat your porridge, or it will begetting cold,” said Mr Maclean, lifting Norman into the air, and placing him down in the chair as if he had been a little baby.