It was a red-letter day all round. Robin2 Hood3 and his Merry Men held high revelry in the Forest, and even called a truce4 with the Squirms so that there might be no shadow on the day's sunshine.
They were not tempted5 from grace, either, by the red-rag irritation6 of Peter Mawdster's presence. That sick and sorry youth took advantage of the holiday to slip down home, and, for some reason never publicly explained, he was seen at Foxenby no more. Possibly his doting7 parents decided8 to remove him to a less robust9 and more genteel atmosphere than that which Foxenby afforded. Anyhow, his disappearance10 had no more effect on the school than the swift death of a midge in a summer thunderstorm.
Dick took his fifty-pound cheque to the head-master's bank and withdrew thirty-five pounds of it, leaving the remainder on deposit in his own name. Then he hunted up "Chuck" Smithies, who was amusing himself by turning over a portfolio11 of old sporting prints.
"Hallo, sonny! Come to tell me how you ticked off that jelly-fish, Aaron Mawdster, yesterday afternoon? I can see by your face that you wrung12 the low-down animal's withers13 for him!"
"Thanks to you, I metaphorically14 mopped him up," said Dick.
The bookmaker roared with laughter over Dick's unvarnished account of the printing-office interview, in which the captain had seen nothing particularly funny at the time.
"You rattled15 the hypocrite's teeth with a rasping upper-cut there, lad," said Smithies. "Oh, I'll laugh till I cry! Threatening to expose him as a blackmailer16 got right through his sanctimonious17 guard. He'd dread18 that. You could have bowled him out with it, whether you'd paid him or not."
"I paid him, though. He took all you lent me and some odd shillings besides."
"Exactly what he would do, the dirty blighter! But here, I say, what are you trying on, youngster? Repaying me already?" He stared almost resentfully at the thirty-five pounds which Dick laid before him. "Been picking paper-money off trees, kid, or what is it? Pardon me if I seem dazed, but——"
"Please take it, Smithies. I'd the luck of a lifetime yesterday." Briefly20 Dick described his moonlit trip to the hills with Fluffy21 Jim, and what came of it. "So, you see, I can repay your kind loan with a balance in hand."
What seemed distinctly like a shade of annoyance22 crossed the bookmaker's face. "Sonny, we parted on good terms yesterday—don't strew23 tacks24 under the wheel of friendship to-day. Am I Shylock, that you should plunk down a fiver for a day's interest on thirty pounds? I'll take back what I lent you and not a penny more."
Dick felt rather foolish. "But you said it was a business transaction," he replied, defensively. "I'm most awfully25 sorry if I've unwittingly hurt your feelings—do please forgive me for being such a clown. I—I only thought it would be rather nice to make you a little friendly acknowledgment of your great kindness."
"Well, you've put it on the wrong footing, youngster, that's all. 'Business transaction' was my camouflage26 for it. Just a loan to oblige a pal—which it did, thank goodness, in putting you top-side of Aaron Mawdster yesterday. There, now, take no notice of my bluster—I'm only kidding. Take back your fiver and give me instead a little souvenir of the occasion—one I rather fancy."
"Whatever it is, it's yours, Smithies," Dick eagerly agreed.
"A photograph of yourself in football togs—this size—to fit into my portfolio of sporting cracks."
"The honour's mine there," said Dick. He bethought himself of Robin Arkness's autograph-book, and smiled. "You're putting me early into the gallery of Fame! I hate being photographed, Smithies, but you shall have the picture. Mr. Rooke will take it—he's a wizard with a camera."
"That'll suit me down to the ground, sonny. It'll be a nice memento27 to put beside a photograph of the football cup, which you're sure to win next time.
"For," added the bookmaker inwardly, as Dick left the office, "I'm taking no bets on that replay from Ike Doccan's dirty paw. If he wasn't acting28 for a few schoolboys who meant Foxenby no good, I'll eat my go-to-meeting suit of clothes."
Dick had swung happily half-way back to school when he observed Robin Arkness running towards him breathlessly. The Junior waved at him an orange-coloured envelope.
"A telegram for you, Forge," he announced. "I saw you come down here, so I risked bringing it along."
"Jolly decent of you, youngster—thanks," said Dick, trying to behave as though telegrams were an everyday event with him, though his pulse was rapid as he opened the envelope and read its contents.
"Kid, what splendid news you've brought me! Cayton is coming back to school by the midday train, and wants me to meet him. We've just time to celebrate it. Come and have a lemonade or something."
The "something" spread itself out into quite a classy midday feed for Robin, who, having done himself proud at the smiling captain's expense, hurried back to school to scatter29 envy among his less fortunate comrades. It was then time for the train, which brought with it a paler but much-happier-looking Roger than the anxious prefect who left Foxenby in December.
"Why, Roger, old boy," said Dick, when they had treated themselves to a very fervent30 handshake, "I expected to see you a limping crock, looking justifiably31 sorry for yourself, yet you're laughing all across your face and half-way down your back. Does being feverishly32 ill buck33 a chap up so much as all that?"
"Dear old Dick, I meant to keep it dark till we were locked in our study to-night, but I simply can't hold it in. It's ripping tidings I've got for you—top-hole!"
"Judging by your beaming countenance34, it must be."
"Laddie, it's great! I'm no longer a 'deadhead', financially speaking, in the Rooke's House Rag partnership35. I can go shares in the cost, whatever it is. I've made money—I'm a professional author!"
"No, never! Get away with your nonsense, Roger!"
"It's sober truth, old Doubting Thomas. I've a savings-bank book in my pocket, showing that twenty guineas is standing36 to my credit. And every penny of that was made by writing—I've the proofs of the series of sketches38 in my pocket, and you and I are going to correct them together to-night!"
He had an enraptured39 and admiring auditor40 in Dick as he explained how, determined41 to do his bit towards making good the loss of the Rag's subscription-money, he had conceived the idea of writing a dialect sketch37 descriptive of the quaint42 customs and mannerisms of his own village. By great good fortune the simple humour of it had caught the fancy of the first editor to whom he offered it. "Send me eleven more brief sketches in the same vein," wrote the editor, "and I'll pay you twenty guineas for the dozen."
It was, Roger admitted, a staggering commission, and ultimately it overweighted him. What with tramping about in search of "local colour" in the daytime, and then sitting up secretly at nights in order to transfer his thoughts to paper, he broke down, and only just finished the job in time—indeed, he had no recollection of actually posting the series, and was only certain he had done so when, a few days before returning to school, he had received the promised cheque in payment.
"There was absolutely nothing in them, old chap—the simplest stuff you could imagine. I said as much to the editor-chap, who replied that their simplicity43 was their charm. I just jotted44 down the fairy-stories of the district, and described the funny folk who told them, and it clicked."
"You're a wise old bird, Roger," said Dick, almost worshipping this revelation of his chum's intellect. "I shall put a special paragraph in the new Rag about all this—yes, I shall—I'm editor-in-chief, so you can't stop me. Now, it's your turn to listen to me, and I think my tale about even beats yours, old lad!"
An opinion which Roger emphatically confirmed when, despite many excited interruptions from him, Dick had completed the yarn45.
"Great!" commented Roger. "A thrill from beginning to end. Isn't it strange how things work out? Grand bit of compensation that Fluffy Jim, after spoiling your goal, should put that fifty-pound reward right under your nose. Rough gratitude46 for your services in snatching him from Juddy Stockgill's clutches, though he only meant to show you his 'cottage musical-box'."
They spent a happy afternoon in their study, exchanging confidences over the fire concerning almost everything that had happened during their enforced separation. One thing, and one thing only, did Dick keep from Roger, and that was his suspicion that Luke Harwood had had some hand in messing up the final tie. He wanted to bring an unprejudiced mind to that subject when he discussed it with Luke, which he fully19 intended to do at the first opportunity.
By dusk Roger knew nearly as much about Foxenby's affairs as if illness had not kept him away. He was sympathetic about the misfortune that had overtaken Dick's aunt, but rather thought that he would personally be able to make up for any loss of pocket-money in that direction by writing more sketches for the Press. Which shows how little success is needed to make an amateur author vain.
"The Rag must come out again," he said, "and that right speedily. The firm that prints the Foxonian shall do it for us this time—they're clean and above reproach."
"Right you are," said Dick. "I'm game. In an hour the fellows will be trooping in to supper which the Old Man is making a toothsome event to-night. On their way they'll pass the notice-board."
And thus it happened that, after a happy day of unexpected liberty, the Foxes were able to read more sympathetically than they would have done a day or two before, the following intimation on the hall notice-board:—
THE ROOKE'S HOUSE RAG
The Editors of the above Magazine have pleasure in informing its readers that its publication will be resumed within the course of a few weeks.
It is hoped to introduce some new features of special interest in the forthcoming number.
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1
graphic
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| adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的 | |
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robin
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| n.知更鸟，红襟鸟 | |
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hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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doting
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| adj.溺爱的，宠爱的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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robust
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| adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的 | |
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disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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portfolio
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| n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位 | |
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12
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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13
withers
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| 马肩隆 | |
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metaphorically
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| adv. 用比喻地 | |
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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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blackmailer
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| 敲诈者，勒索者 | |
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sanctimonious
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| adj.假装神圣的，假装虔诚的，假装诚实的 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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fluffy
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| adj.有绒毛的，空洞的 | |
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annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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strew
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| vt.撒；使散落；撒在…上，散布于 | |
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tacks
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| 大头钉( tack的名词复数 )； 平头钉； 航向； 方法 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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camouflage
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| n./v.掩饰，伪装 | |
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memento
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| n.纪念品，令人回忆的东西 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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scatter
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| vt.撒，驱散，散开；散布/播；vi.分散，消散 | |
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fervent
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| adj.热的，热烈的，热情的 | |
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justifiably
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| adv.无可非议地 | |
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feverishly
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| adv. 兴奋地 | |
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buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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partnership
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| n.合作关系，伙伴关系 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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sketch
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| n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述 | |
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sketches
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| n.草图( sketch的名词复数 )；素描；速写；梗概 | |
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enraptured
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| v.使狂喜( enrapture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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auditor
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| n.审计员，旁听着 | |
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41
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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42
quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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43
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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44
jotted
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| v.匆忙记下( jot的过去式和过去分词 )；草草记下，匆匆记下 | |
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45
yarn
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| n.纱，纱线，纺线；奇闻漫谈，旅行轶事 | |
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46
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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