William relapsed into silence, nonplussed, but by no means cowed.
When he reached home that evening he found that the garden was the scene of excitement and hubbub. One policeman was measuring the panes of gla.s.s in the conservatory door, and another was on his knees examining the beds near. His grown-up sister, Ethel, was standing at the front door.
"Every single flower has been stolen from the conservatory some time this morning," she said excitedly. "We"ve only just been able to get the police. William, did you see any one about when you went to school this morning?"
William pondered deeply. His most guileless and innocent expression came to his face.
"No," he said at last. "No, Ethel, I didn"t see n.o.body."
William coughed and discreetly withdrew.
That evening he settled down at the library table, spreading out his books around him, a determined frown upon his small face.
His father was sitting in an armchair by the window reading the evening paper.
"Father," said William suddenly, "s"pose I came to you an" said you was to give me a hundred pounds an" I"d give you five pounds next year an"
so on, would you give it me?"
"I should not, my son," said his father firmly.
William sighed.
"I knew there was something wrong with it," he said.
Mr. Brown returned to the leading article, but not for long.
"Father, what was the date of the Armada?"
"Good Heavens! How should I know? I wasn"t there."
William sighed.
"Well, I"m tryin" to write about it and why it failed an"--why did it fail?"
Mr. Brown groaned, gathered up his paper, and retired to the dining-room.
He had almost finished the leading article when William appeared, his arms full of books, and sat down quietly at the table.
"Father, what"s the French for "my aunt is walking in the garden"?"
"What on earth are you doing?" said Mr. Brown irritably.
"I"m doing my home-lessons," said William virtuously.
"I never even knew you had the things to do."
"No," William admitted gently, "I don"t generally take much bother over them, but I"m goin" to now--"cause Miss Drew"--he blushed slightly and paused--""cause Miss Drew"--he blushed more deeply and began to stammer, ""c--cause Miss Drew"--he was almost apoplectic.
Mr. Brown quietly gathered up his paper and crept out to the verandah, where his wife sat with the week"s mending.
"William"s gone raving mad in the dining-room," he said pleasantly, as he sat down. "Takes the form of a wild thirst for knowledge, and a babbling of a Miss Drawing, or Drew, or something. He"s best left alone."
Mrs. Brown merely smiled placidly over the mending.
Mr. Brown had finished one leading article and begun another before William appeared again. He stood in the doorway frowning and stern.
"Father, what"s the capital of Holland?"
"Good Heavens!" said his father. "Buy him an encyclopedia. Anything, anything. What does he think I am? What----"
"I"d better set apart a special room for his homework," said Mrs. Brown soothingly, "now that he"s beginning to take such an interest."
"A room!" echoed his father bitterly. "He wants a whole house."
Miss Drew was surprised and touched by William"s earnestness and attention the next day. At the end of the afternoon school he kindly offered to carry her books home for her. He waved aside all protests. He marched home by her side discoursing pleasantly, his small freckled face beaming devotion.
"I like pirates, don"t you, Miss Drew? An" robbers an" things like that?
Miss Drew, would you like to be married to a robber?"
He was trying to reconcile his old beloved dream of his future estate with the new one of becoming Miss Drew"s husband.
"No," she said firmly.
His heart sank.
"Nor a pirate?" he said sadly.
"No."
"They"re quite nice really--pirates," he a.s.sured her.
"I think not."
"Well," he said resignedly, "we"ll jus" have to go huntin" wild animals and things. That"ll be all right."
"Who?" she said, bewildered.
"Well--jus" you wait," he said darkly.
Then: "Would you rather be married by the Archbishop of York or the Pope?"
"The Archbishop, I think," she said gravely.
He nodded.
"All right."
She was distinctly amused. She was less amused the next evening. Miss Drew had a male cousin--a very nice-looking male cousin, with whom she often went for walks in the evening. This evening, by chance, they pa.s.sed William"s house, and William, who was in the garden, threw aside his temporary _role_ of pirate and joined them. He trotted happily on the other side of Miss Drew. He entirely monopolised the conversation.
The male cousin seemed to encourage him, and this annoyed Miss Drew. He refused to depart in spite of Miss Drew"s strong hints. He had various items of interest to impart, and he imparted them with the air of one a.s.sured of an appreciative hearing. He had found a dead rat the day before and given it to his dog, but his dog didn"t like "em dead and neither did the ole cat, so he"d buried it. Did Miss Drew like all those flowers he"d got her the other day? He was afraid that he cudn"t bring any more like that jus" yet. Were there pirates now? Well, what would folks do to one if there was one? He din"t see why there shun"t be pirates now. He thought he"d start it, anyway. He"d like to shoot a lion. He was goin" to one day. He"d shoot a lion an" a tiger. He"d bring the skin home to Miss Drew, if she liked. He grew recklessly generous.