FOOLISH GEOFF.
"Is he like what you expected, Elsa?" asked Frances, when they were in
their own room.
"Who? Great-Uncle Hoot-Toot? I'm sure I don't know. I don't think I ever
thought about what he'd be like."
"Oh, I _had_ an idea," said Frances. "Quite different, of course, from
what he really is. I had fancied he'd be tall and stooping, and with a
big nose and very queer eyes. I think I must have mixed him up with the
old godfather in the 'Nutcracker of Nuremberg,' without knowing it."
"Well, he's not so bad as that, anyway," said Elsa. "He looks rather
shrivelled and dried up; but he's so very neat and refined-looking. Did
you notice what small brown hands he has, and such _very_ bright eyes?
Isn't it funny that he's only an adopted uncle, after all?"
"I think mamma had really forgotten he wasn't our real uncle," said
Frances. "Elsa, I am very glad he has come. I think poor mamma has been
far more unhappy than she let us know. She does look so ill."
"It's half of it Geoff," said Elsa, indignantly. "And now he must needs
spoil Great-Uncle Hoot-Toot's arrival by his tempers. Perhaps it's just
as well, however. 'By the pricking of my thumbs,' I fancy Geoff has met
his master."
"Elsa, you frighten me a little," said Frances. "You don't think he'll
be very severe with poor Geoff?"
"I don't think he'll be more severe than is for Geoff's good," replied
Elsa. "I must confess, though, I shouldn't like to face Great-Uncle
Hoot-Toot if I felt I had been behaving badly. How his eyes can gleam!"
"And how he seemed to flash in upon us all of a sudden, and to disappear
almost as quickly! I'm afraid there's something a little bit uncanny
about him," said Frances, who was very imaginative. "But if he helps to
put all the money troubles right, he will certainly be like a good fairy
to us."
"Yes; and if he takes Geoff in hand," added Elsa. "But, Frances, we must
go to bed. I want to make everything very nice to-morrow; I'm going to
think about what to have for dinner while I go to sleep."
For Elsa was housekeeper--a very zealous and rather anxious-minded young
housekeeper. Her dreams were often haunted by visions of bakers' books
and fishmongers' bills; to-night curry and pilau chased each other
through her brain, and Frances was aroused from her first sweet slumbers
to be asked if she would remember to look first thing to-morrow morning
if there was a bottle of chutney in the store-closet.
[Illustration: ELSA WAS HOUSEKEEPER.]
At breakfast Geoff came in, looking glum and slightly defiant. But he
said nothing except "Good morning." He started, however, a little, when
he saw his mother.
"Mamma," he said, "are you not well? You look so very pale."
The girls glanced up at this. It was true. They had not observed it in
the excitement of discussing the new arrival, and the satisfaction of
knowing it had brought relief to Mrs. Tudor's most pressing anxieties.
"Yes, mamma dear. It is true. You do look very pale. Now, you must not
do anything to tire yourself all day. We will manage everything, so that
Great-Uncle Hoot-Toot shall see we are not silly useless girls," said
Elsa.
Geoffrey's lips opened as if he were about to speak, but he closed them
again. He was still on his high horse.
"Geoff," said his mother, as he was leaving, "you will dine with us this
evening. Try to get your lessons done quickly. Uncle will wish to see
something of you."
He muttered an indistinct "Very well, mamma," as he shut the door.
"Humph!" he said to himself, "I suppose Elsa will want to make him think
I'm properly treated. But _I_ shall tell him the truth--any _man_ will
understand how impossible it is for me to stand it any longer. I don't
mind if he did hear me shouting last night. There's a limit to endurance.
But I wish mamma didn't look so pale. Of course they'll make out it's
all _my_ fault."
And feeling himself and his grievances of even more consequence than
usual, Master Geoff stalked off.
Great-Uncle Hoot-Toot made his appearance in the afternoon rather earlier
than he was expected. He found Mrs. Tudor alone in the drawing-room, and
had a talk with her by themselves, and then Vicky was sent for, to make
his acquaintance. The little girl came into the drawing-room looking
very much on her good behaviour indeed--so much so that Elsa and Frances,
who were with her, could scarcely help laughing.
"How do you do, my dear?" said her great-uncle, looking at her with his
bright eyes.
"Quite well, thank you," replied the little girl.
"Hoot-toot!" said the old gentleman; "and is that all you've got to say
to me?--a poor old fellow like me, who have come all the way from India
to see you."
Vicky looked up doubtfully, her blue eyes wandered all over Great-Uncle
Hoot-Toot's queer brown face and trim little figure. A red flush spread
slowly upwards from her cheeks to the roots of her fair hair, and by the
peculiar droop in the corners of her mouth, Elsa, who was nearest her,
saw that tears were not far off.
"What is it, Vicky dear?" she whispered. "What _will_ he think of the
children? Geoff in a temper, and Vicky crying for nothing!" she said to
herself. "You are not frightened?" she added aloud.
"No," said Vicky, trying to recover herself. "It's only about Geoff. I
want to ask--_him_--not to be angry with Geoff."
"And why should I be angry with Geoff?" said the old gentleman, his eyes
twinkling. "Has he been saying so to you?"
"Oh no!" the little girl eagerly replied. "Geoff didn't say anything. It
was Harvey and Martha. They said they hoped he'd find his master now
_you'd_ come, and that it was time he had some of his nonsense whipped
out of him. You won't whip him, will you? Oh, please, please say you
won't!" and she clasped her hands beseechingly. "Geoff isn't naughty
_really_. He doesn't mean to be naughty."
The tears were very near now.
"Hoot-toot, hoot-toot!" said Mr. Byrne. "Come, come, my little Vic; I
don't like this at all. So they've been making me out an ogre. That's
too bad. Me whip Geoff! Why, I think he could better whip me--a strong,
sturdy fellow like that. No, no, I don't want to whip him, I assure you.
But I'm glad to see Geoff's got such a good little sister, and that
she's so fond of him. He's not a bad brother to you, I hope? You
couldn't be so fond of him if he were."
"Oh no; Geoff's not naughty to me, scarcely _never_," said Vicky,
eagerly. "I'm sure he never wants to be naughty. It's just that he's got
some bad habits, of teasing and grumbling, and he can't get out of
them," she went on, with a little air of wisdom that was very funny.
"Exactly," said Uncle Hoot-Toot, nodding his head. "Well, don't you
think it would be a very good thing if we could help him to get out of
them?"
Vicky looked up doubtfully again.
"If I think of some plan--something that may really do him good, you'll
trust your poor old uncle, won't you, my little Vic?"
She gave him a long steady stare.
"Yes," she said at last. Then with a sigh, "I would like Geoff to get
out of his tiresome ways."
And from this time Great-Uncle Hoot-Toot and Vicky were fast friends.
Then he asked Elsa and Frances to go out a little walk with him.
"Is your mother always as pale as I have seen her?" he said abruptly,
almost as soon as they were alone.
Elsa hesitated.
"No," she said at last. "I'm afraid she is not at all well. Geoff
noticed it this morning."
"Oh, indeed! Then he does notice things sometimes?" said Mr. Byrne,
drily.
"He's very fond of mamma," put in Frances.
"He takes a queer way to show it, it strikes me," remarked her uncle.
"It's--it's all his temper, I'm afraid," Frances allowed reluctantly.
"It is that he's spoilt," said Elsa. "He's perhaps not spoilt in one
way, but in another he is. He has never known any hardships or been
forced into any self-denial. Great-uncle," she went on earnestly, "if
it's true that we have lost or are going to lose nearly all our money,
won't it perhaps be a good thing for Geoff?"
"Who says you're going to lose your money?"
"I don't know exactly why I feel sure it's not coming right. I know you
said so to mamma--at least you tried to make her happier; but I can't
understand it. If that Mr. Norris wrote so strongly, there must be
something wrong."
Mr. Byrne moved and looked at her sharply.
"You don't speak that way to your mother, I hope?"
"Of course not," said Elsa; "I'm only too glad for her to feel happier
about it. I was only speaking of what I thought myself."
"Well--well--as long as your mother's mind is easier it doesn't matter.
I cannot explain things fully to you at present, but you seem to be
sensible girls, and girls to be trusted. I may just tell you this
much--all this trouble is nothing new; I had seen it coming for years.
The only thing I had not anticipated was that those fools of lawyers
should have told your mother about the crash when it did come. There was
no need for her to know anything about it. I'm her trustee----"
"But not legally," interrupted Elsa. "Mamma explained to us that you
couldn't be held responsible, as it was only like a friend that you had
helped her all these years."
"Hoot-toot, toot-toot!" he replied testily; "what difference does that
make? But never mind. I will explain all about it to you both--before
long. Just now the question is your mother. I think you will agree with
me when I say that it is plain to me that Master Geoff should leave
home?"
"I'm afraid mamma will be very much against it," said Elsa. "You see,
Geoff is a good boy in big things, and mamma thinks it is owing to her
having kept home influence over him. He's truthful and conscientious--he
is, indeed, and you must see I'm not inclined to take his part."
"But he's selfish, and bullying, and ungrateful. Not pretty qualities,
my dear, or likely to make a good foundation for a man's after-life. I'm
not going to send him to a grand boarding-school, however--that I
promise you, for I think it would be the ruin of him. Whatever I may do
to save your mother, I don't see but that Master Geoff should face his
true position."
"And we too, great-uncle," said Frances, eagerly. "Elsa and I are quite
ready to work; we've thought of several plans already."
"I quite believe you, my dear," said Mr. Byrne, approvingly. "You shall
tell me your plans some time soon, and I will tell you mine. No fear but
that you shall have work to do."
"And----" began Elsa, but then she hesitated. "I was going to ask you
not to decide anything about Geoff till you have seen more of him. If
Frances and I could earn enough to keep him at school as he is, so that
mamma could have the comf---- No, I'm afraid I can't honestly say that
having Geoff at home would be any comfort to her--less than ever if
Frances and I were away. Great-uncle, don't you think Geoff should have
some idea of all this?"
"Certainly. But I cannot risk his teasing your mother. We will wait a
few days. I should like to see poor Alice looking better; and I shall
judge of Geoff for myself, my dears."
They were just at home again by this time. Vicky met them at the door.
She was in great excitement about Mr. Byrne's Indian servant, who had
come with his master's evening clothes.
"I was watching for Geoff, to tell him!" she exclaimed. "But my tea's
ready; I must go." And off she ran.
"Good little girl," said Great-Uncle Hoot-Toot, nodding his head
approvingly. "No grumbling from _her_, eh?"
"No, never," said Elsa, warmly. "She's having her tea alone to-day.
Geoff's coming in to dinner in your honour."
"Humph!" said the old gentleman.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: GEOFF'S INTERVIEW WITH GREAT-UNCLE HOOT-TOOT.]
[Illustration]