UNDER THE SOFA
Two minutes later the burly form of Constable Brownrigg appeared at the
door. He was already, to tell the truth, cooling down a little and
beginning to feel rather ashamed of himself; and when his eyes lighted
on the tiny figure in the window--looking even smaller and more fragile
than Ferdy really was--the clumsy but far from bad-hearted man could at
first find nothing to say for himself. Then--
"I beg pardon, sir, I hope I haven't upset you, but dooty's dooty!"
Ferdy raised his head a little, and looked the constable straight in the
face, without condescending to notice the half apology.
"What is it you want of me?" he said coldly.
"It's all along of that there Jesse Piggot," replied Brownrigg, "as bad
a lot as ever were!"
"What's he been doing?" said Ferdy again in the same tone, rather
turning the tables upon the constable, as if he--Brownrigg--and not
Ferdy himself, was the one to be cross-questioned.
The man glanced round him half suspiciously.
"He was seen coming here, sir."
"Well, suppose he _had_ come here, you can't take him up for that?" said
the boy. "I'm asking you what harm he'd done."
"He got up a row at Bollins this afternoon, and half killed a poor
lad--Bill Turner by name--threw him down and half stunned him."
"Half stunned him," repeated Ferdy, "that's not quite the same as half
killing him. Have you sent him to the hospital?"
"Well no, sir," said the constable, "he come to again--them boys has
nine lives more than cats. I don't suppose he's really much the worse.
But these Draymoor fights must be put a stop to, they're getting worse
and worse; I've had orders to that effect," drawing himself up.
"And has Jesse Piggot been mixed up with them lately?" said Ferdy
severely.
Again the constable looked rather small.
"Well no, sir," he repeated, "but what does that matter, if he's been
the offender to-day."
This was true enough.
"But what do you want _me_ to do?" asked Ferdy.
"To detain the lad if he comes here and give him up to the lawful
authorities," said Brownrigg more fluently. "Everybody knows you've been
very kind to him, but it's no true kindness to screen him from the
punishment he deserves."
A new idea struck Ferdy.
"Did he begin the fight then?" he said. "There's such a thing as--as
defending oneself, quite rightly. Supposing the other boy started it?"
"That will be all gone into in the proper time and place," said
Brownrigg pompously. "An example must be made, and--"
Before he had time to finish his sentence Ferdy interrupted him
joyfully. He had just caught sight of the pony-carriage driving in
rapidly. For some garbled account of what had happened had been given to
Mr. Ross by the group of men and boys still hanging about the gates, and
he hurried in, afraid of finding his boy startled and upset.
Nor did the sight of the stout constable reassure him. On the contrary
it made Mr. Ross very indignant. He scarcely noticed Brownrigg's
half-apologetic greeting.
"What's all this?" he said sharply. "Who gave you leave to come up here
and disturb an invalid?"
Brownrigg grew very red, and murmured something about his "dooty."
[Illustration: "STEP DOWNSTAIRS, IF YOU PLEASE, AND THEN I'LL HEAR WHAT
YOU'VE GOT TO SAY."]
"You've exceeded it in this case, I think you'll find," the master of
the house replied severely. "Step downstairs if you please, and then
I'll hear what you've got to say," and to Ferdy's inexpressible relief,
for the consciousness of Jesse's near presence was beginning to make him
terribly nervous.
Mr. Ross held the door wide open and the constable shamefacedly left the
room. Scarcely had he done so when there came a subterranean whisper,
"Master Ferdy," it said, "shall I come out?"
"No, no," Ferdy replied quickly. "Stay where you are, Jesse, unless
you're choking. Mamma will be coming in most likely. Wait till papa
comes back again, and I can tell him all about it."
Rather to Ferdy's surprise, the answer was a sort of giggle.
"I'm all right, thank you, Master Ferdy--as jolly as a sand-boy. And you
did speak up to the old bobby, Master Ferdy; you did set him down. But
I'm right down glad Bill Turner's none the worse, I am. It give me a
turn when they called out I'd done for him."
And Ferdy understood then that the giggle came in part from relief of
mind.
"Hush now, Jesse," he said. "I want to watch for Brownrigg's going. And
till he's clear away, you'd best not come out, nor speak."
There was not very long to wait. For though Mr. Ross spoke out his mind
very plainly to the constable, he made short work of it, and within ten
minutes of the man leaving the oriel room, Ferdy had the pleasure, as he
announced to Jesse in a sort of stage whisper, of seeing the worthy Mr.
Brownrigg walking down the drive, some degrees less pompously than on
his arrival. Nor was he now accompanied by poor little Barney, whom Mr.
Ross had kept back, struck by pity for the lad's white, frightened face,
as the constable could not say that there was any "charge" against
_him_, except that he had been an eye-witness of the "row."
"It's all right now, Jesse," Ferdy added in a minute or two. "He's quite
gone--old Brownrigg, I mean--so you'd better come out."
Jesse emerged from his hiding-place, a good deal redder in the face than
when he went in, though he was still trembling inwardly at the idea of
meeting Ferdy's father.
"You don't think, Master Ferdy--" he was beginning, when the door opened
and both Mr. and Mrs. Ross came in.
"Ferdy, darling," exclaimed his mother, "you've not been really
frightened, I hope--" but she stopped short, startled by an exclamation
from her husband.
"Jesse!" he said. "You here after all! Upon my word!" And for a moment
he looked as if he were really angry. Then the absurd side of the matter
struck him, and it was with some difficulty that he suppressed a smile.
"My dear boy," he went on, glancing at the tiny, but determined-looking
figure on the couch, "you'll be having your poor old father pulled up
for conniving at felony."
"I don't know what that is, papa," said Ferdy. "But if it means hiding
Jesse under the sofa--yes, I _did_ do it, and I'd do it again. It wasn't
Jesse thought of it, only he was afraid that if Brownrigg took him away
he'd be put in prison and have nobody to speak up for him, and perhaps
have been kept there for ever and ever so long."
"Your opinion of the law of the land is not a very high one apparently,
Jesse," said Mr. Ross, eying the boy gravely.
Jesse shuffled and grew very red.
"I'll do whatever you think right, sir," he said stoutly. "If I must
give myself up to Brownrigg, I'll run after him now. I don't want to get
Master Ferdy nor you into any bother about me, after--after all you've
done for me," and for the first time the boy broke down, turning his
face away to hide the tears which he tried to rub off with the cuff of
his sleeve.
"Oh, papa," said Ferdy pleadingly, his own eyes growing suspiciously
dewy, "mamma, mamma, look at him."
Up to that moment, to tell the truth, Mrs. Ross's feelings towards Jesse
had not been very cordial. The sight of him had startled her and made
her almost as indignant with him as with the constable. But now her kind
heart was touched. She glanced at her husband, but what she saw already
in his face set her mind at rest.
"Come, come," said Mr. Ross, "don't put yourself out about it, Ferdy.
Tell me the whole story quietly, or let Jesse do so," and after
swallowing one or two sobs, Jesse found voice to do as he was desired.
He told his tale simply and without exaggeration, though his voice shook
and quivered when he came to the sad part of the destruction of the many
weeks' labour of himself and his "pupils," and Mrs. Ross could not keep
back a little cry of indignation.
"It is certainly not _Jesse_ who deserves punishment," she said eagerly,
turning to her husband.
"If he could have controlled himself," said Mr. Ross, "to the point of
_not_ knocking down that bully, Turner, his case would have been a still
stronger one. Do you see that, my boy?" he went on, turning to Jesse,
who murmured something indistinctly in reply.
"I'm glad he did knock him down all the same, papa," said Ferdy. "You
don't now think Jesse need give himself up to the p'lice?" he added
anxiously.
"Certainly not," said Mr. Ross, "but it will be best for me to see
Brownrigg and tell him all I now know--except--no I don't think I will
tell him of the hiding-place under your sofa, Ferdy." Then turning again
to Jesse, "To-morrow is Sunday," he said; "do you generally go to see
your friends at Draymoor on a Sunday?"
"Sometimes," said Jesse; "not always, sir."
"Then they won't think anything of it if they don't see you to-morrow?"
"Oh lor, no," Jesse replied. "They'd think nothing of it if they never
saw me again. It's only Barney that cares for me or me for him of all
that lot."
"Oh yes, by the bye--Barney!" said Mr. Ross, starting up. "I left him
downstairs, poor little fellow. He is in my study--you know where that
is, Jesse, run and fetch him," and Jesse, delighted at this proof of
confidence, started off quite cheerfully on his errand.
When he was out of hearing, Mr. Ross said thoughtfully, "It won't do for
that lad to remain in this neighbourhood, I see. I must have a talk
about him again with Dr. Lilly, and probably with Brock. Something must
be decided as to his future, and if he really has talent above the
average he must be put in the right way towards making it of use."
Ferdy's eyes sparkled; sorry as he would be to be parted from Jesse,
this was what he, as well as Miss Lilly, had long been hoping for.
Before he had time to say anything, a tap at the door told that the two
boys were outside.
"Come in," said Mr. Ross, and then Jesse reappeared, half leading, half
pushing his small cousin before him.
Mrs. Ross was touched by Barney's white face and general air of
delicacy.
"Don't look so scared," she heard Jesse whisper to him.
"You must be tired, Barney," she said kindly. "Jesse and you must have
some tea before you go back to Draymoor."
"Jesse's not to go back to Draymoor, mamma," said Ferdy, looking up
quickly.
"No," said Mr. Ross, "that is what I wish to speak to Barney about. Will
you tell your father, Barney--is it to your father's house that Jesse
goes on Sundays generally?"
"No, sir, please, sir, I haven't a father--mother and me's alone. It's
my uncle's."
"Well, then, tell your uncle from me," continued Mr. Ross, "that I think
it best to keep Jesse here at present, and that he was not to blame for
the affair this afternoon. I shall see the constable again about it
myself."
Barney's face expressed mingled relief and disappointment.
"Yes, sir," he said obediently. "There'll be no more classes then, I
suppose?" he added sadly. "Is Jesse not even to come as far as Bollins?"
"Not at present," replied Mr. Ross, and then, feeling sorry for the
little fellow, he added: "If your mother can spare you, you may come
over here to-morrow and have your Sunday dinner with your cousin in the
servants' hall."
Both boys' faces shone with pleasure.
"And will you tell the lads, Barney," said Jesse, "how it's all been.
And what I minded most was their things being spoilt."
Barney's face grew melancholy again.
"Don't look so downhearted," said Mr. Ross. "We won't forget you and the
other boys. Your work has already done you great credit."
Ferdy's lips opened as if he were about to speak, but the little fellow
had learnt great thoughtfulness of late, and he wisely decided that what
he had to say had better be kept till he was alone with his parents.
Just then Christine made her appearance, very eager to know more about
the constable's visit and the exciting events of the afternoon. So Mrs.
Ross left her with her brother while she herself took the two boys
downstairs to put them into the housekeeper's charge for tea, of which
both struck her as decidedly in need.
"Papa," said Ferdy, when he had finished going over the whole story
again for his sister's benefit, "don't you think if Jesse has to go away
that _I_ might take on the class, one or two evenings a week any way?
Mr. Brock might come sometimes--extra, you know--just to see how they
were getting on. And they would be quite safe here, and nobody would
dare to spoil their things."
"And Miss Lilly and I would help," said Christine eagerly. "There are
some of them, Jesse has told us, that want to learn other things--not
only wood-carving--that _we_ could help them with. Miss Lilly's been
having lessons herself in basket-making."
"Dr. Lilly has reason to be proud of his granddaughter," said Mr. Ross
warmly. "We must talk it all over. It would certainly seem a terrible
pity for the poor fellows to lose what they have gained, not merely in
skill, but the good habit of putting to use some of their leisure
hours--miners have so much idle time."
"There's the big empty room downstairs near the servants' hall," said
Ferdy. "Could not I be carried down there, papa?"
Mr. Ross hesitated. He felt doubtful, but anxious not to disappoint the
boy, for as his eyes rested on the fragile little figure and he realised
what Ferdy's future life might be, he could not but think to himself how
happy and healthy a thing it was that his child should be so ready to
interest himself in others, instead of becoming self-engrossed and
discontented.
"We must see what Mr. Stern says," he replied, "and--yes, it will soon
be time for the other doctor's visit. It would be a long walk from
Draymoor for the lads."
"_They_ wouldn't mind," said Ferdy decisively.
"And now and then," said Christine, "we might give them tea for a
treat--once a month or so. Oh! it would be lovely!"