The last few rays of a cold September sunset were streaming through the
High Street of a large and populous village called Redford, in the
county of Surrey, lighting up the pretty red-brick cottages and casting
a deep shadow beyond the quaint and tumble-down old porch which led to
the church. A few mellow shafts had slipped by it, and, struggling
through the iron bars of a massive gate, travelled up a long gravel
drive and cast a ruddy glow on the windows of a fine country mansion.
In one of the rooms facing the sunset, a man and a woman were standing
opposite one another, engaged in angry conversation, while outside, on
the great staircase, the subject of their dispute, a boy of about
eleven, was slowly making his way upward, stopping now and again to let
his head drop upon his folded arms against the banisters, and sob as if
his heart would break. At last, after many stops, he reached a landing
midway up, and was just in the act of succumbing once more to his grief
when a jeering and unsympathetic laugh from above caught his ear, and
caused him to give a violent start. Instantly the lad dried his eyes,
and choked back his sobs. Then, with a sudden gesture, as if of
determination to forget his sorrow, he crossed the landing, and with his
head now held proudly erect in the air, ran up the remaining stairs and
was quickly out of sight.
Meanwhile, in the room below, the man and woman faced one another in the
gathering gloom, while angry words passed between them.
The former, Captain Charles Somerton by name and title, a lithe and
active man of middle age, was evidently ill at ease. He stood close
beside his writing-desk, shuffling restlessly from one foot to another,
and toying with a paper-knife. His wife, on the other hand, was
apparently calm and self-contained, though a careful scrutiny of her
features would have shown that passion had almost mastered her. She was
a proud, haughty-looking woman, and now that her temper had almost got
the better of her there was a decidedly evil look upon her face. She
listened impatiently to what her husband was saying, glaring spitefully
at him, and occasionally opening her lips as if on the point of
interrupting.
"My dear," the captain was saying, somewhat nervously, "you really must
be more kind to the poor little chap. Scold him if you wish to, for I
have no doubt that, like all boys, he is constantly up to some kind of
mischief; but if you have occasion to correct him, do so in a more
gentle manner. He is quite a young lad, you must remember, and I am
sure that his worst deeds cannot merit such punishment. You frighten
him out of his life, and you do what I consider an extremely unkind
thing--you constantly hurt his feelings, well knowing him to be a
thin-skinned boy. Poor little chap! If you are not more careful he
will detest you. You say that he and Frank together smashed a piece of
valuable china in your boudoir? How then is it that Frank is forgiven,
while Jack, who is the younger by more than a year, has his ears boxed
and is spoken to so harshly?"
"There you are again, Charles!" was Mrs Somerton's angry answer. "How
often must I tell you that Jack is the ringleader in all the mischief?
If it were not for him Frank would never go astray, for he is a quiet
and good-mannered boy, and, unless led away by the bad example of the
other, always conducts himself as I should wish."
"I am much inclined to disagree with you there, Julia," the captain
replied, with some show of temper. "It seems to me that there is
something of the hypocrite about Frank. His manners may be good, but he
can never look one in the face, and he is ready at any moment to snivel
and whine. Jack may be a naughty boy, and given to getting into
mischief, but I tell you candidly that I would far rather that he were
so than a namby-pamby, milk-sop lad, afraid to say boo! to a goose.
He's a plucky little fellow, and all that is wrong with him is that,
like the majority of healthy individuals, he has a large stock of animal
spirits, which are a tremendous help in getting one along in this world,
but which occasionally lead one into trouble. You say he is the
ringleader; but to my mind that only shows his pluck. He goes ahead
where others are afraid and hang back.
"But there, my dear, do not let us quarrel about this trumpery matter.
Remember that when I, a widower with one boy, married you, a widow with
an only son, a great object of our union was that the lads might prove
good brothers and playfellows. That was three years ago, and now we
have the satisfaction of knowing that they are fairly good companions,
and our wish is that they should continue so. Treat them alike, Julia,
and they will always be firm friends. But make a difference between
them, punish one for the other's faults, and you will surely separate
the lads and cause them to dislike one another. As for the bit of
china, I am sorry it is broken. Give it to me next time I go to London,
and, if possible, I will replace it, or buy you something more
valuable."
Captain Somerton spoke in his kindest and most conciliatory manner, and
patted his wife playfully on the arm. But this subject of the two boys
was a bitter one to her, and she was far from feeling appeased.
"Yes, it is just like you, Charles, to take Jack's part!" she exclaimed,
with an angry sneer. "It is always the same, and, upon my word, I have
no patience with you. Jack is a mischievous little monkey, and if there
is to be an unpleasant scene between us whenever he misbehaves himself,
then the sooner he is sent away to school the better. If I had had my
way he should have gone long ago."
Mrs Somerton, having delivered a parting shot, glared angrily at her
husband, and bounced out of the room, banging the door after her.
As for the captain, he was evidently distressed that his attempt to set
matters right had failed so completely. He gave a deep sigh, and,
sinking resignedly into a chair, lit a cigar, and smoked furiously till
the room was filled with choking clouds, through which the red end of
his cheroot glimmered feebly.
He was a soldierly-looking man, tall and upright, and with a kindly
expression on his face. Had a stranger seen him he would have taken him
at once for what he was. There was no mistaking the moustache and the
military air; while, had anyone been in doubt, the manner in which his
grooms--who were all old soldiers--saluted him, and his method of
responding, would have been convincing to the dullest. A few years
before the event just narrated Captain Somerton had belonged to a crack
hussar regiment. But, his father dying, he had resigned his commission,
in order that he might be able to manage in person the property which
had come into his possession.
Then it was that his first wife had died, leaving him with a child of
five. Three years later he had married a widow, who also had a boy.
It had been a sad, indeed a fatal, mistake. His second wife was
unsuitable in every respect, and was the very last woman he should have
selected. She had no sympathy with him, spent much of her time amongst
smart people in London, and when at home invariably upset the house, and
caused her husband displeasure by her treatment of his boy. Indeed, as
time passed, she seemed to take a positive delight in speaking sharply
to Jack, knowing well that by doing so she caused Captain Somerton pain
and annoyance.
And Jack--poor little fellow!--though at first he had, boy-like, quickly
forgotten his scoldings, was now really in terror of his unloving
stepmother.
People who knew the Somertons, and were callers at Frampton Grange, soon
learnt what kind of a woman its new mistress was. Though outwardly all
that was pleasant and entertaining to them, they quickly gauged her
character, and knew her to be a source of discord in a house which was,
before her arrival there, one of the happiest in the land. They summed
her up, noticed the icy looks with which she often greeted Jack, and
contrasted them with the tender embraces with which she almost smothered
her own son.
Then they discussed the subject by other firesides till it was almost
threadbare, and came to the conclusion that jealousy of Jack's undoubted
superior qualities and good looks was the main cause of her unkind
treatment of him.
And below stairs, in the kitchen of Frampton Grange, the captain's
servants put their heads together many a time, with the result that all
sympathised secretly with their master and his son, and cordially
disliked the new mistress and the peevish and ill-mannered cub belonging
to her.
Even as Captain Somerton and his wife were exchanging their views in the
study above, old Banks, the butler, who had been with the Somertons for
many years, was holding forth with unusual vehemence to the cook and
maids below.
"I calls it just about a shame!" he cried indignantly, bringing his fat
fist down upon the table with such a thump as to make his audience start
out of their seats and cause himself a twinge of pain.
"Why can't she let the boy alone? Poor little chap! She's always
a-nagging at him; and to hear her going on at the captain is enough to
make yer tear yer hair. And he sits there in front of her as tame as a
girl, and gives her back gentle words. Bah! I hates it! Yer wouldn't
think at such times as he's got a name for miles round here as the
daringest rider after hounds; but that's what he has, as anyone would
tell yer. And yet, when he gets in front of her, and she starts to
tackle him, he's as mild as milk, and scarcely dares to answer her.
She's a vixen, that's what she is, cook, and I can tell yer I ain't much
in love with her. Why don't he pitch into her a bit? But I dare say he
acts all for peace! He dislikes a row, as all gentlemen does, and his
motter is `Least said the soonest mended'. 'Tain't the way I'd do it if
I was in his shoes! I'd pretty soon make her leave the boy alone and
stop her talk, I can assure yer!"
Banks shook his head in a threatening manner, and finding that his
outburst of indignation had gained for him the sympathy and admiration
of his fellow-servants, gave a deep grunt of satisfaction, and was on
the point of launching forth afresh when a bell, rung from Mrs
Somerton's boudoir, sounded in the passage.
With a startled "Oh, lor!" he was himself again. His flushed features
at once assumed their accustomed impassiveness, and with a hasty hitch
at his tie to place it in the most exact position, he slipped hurriedly
from the kitchen to obey the summons.
And now to follow the boy who had been weeping so bitterly on the
stairs. Having gained the landing above, he entered a large room which
was evidently set aside for the lads to play in. It was carpeted with
felt, almost bare of furniture, and had stacks of cricket bats and balls
and other implements in its various corners. Encircling the room, and
running close to the wall, was a miniature set of rails, with a
wonderfully-constructed station near the fireplace; while opposite the
door there was a long tunnel, built up with artificial bricks and earth,
from the mouth of which a beautiful model locomotive had half emerged,
and remained there stationary, waiting for steam to get up again, and
hinting gently to its two old playmates that they were sadly neglectful
of their one-time friend.
Here, seated on the fire-guard, with his legs dangling some inches from
the floor, was a dark, sallow-complexioned lad, with heavy features and
shifting eyes, who went by the name of Frank.
"Well, baby!" this pleasant young gentleman remarked as Jack entered the
room, "so you've been blubbing again, have you? Why, you are always
turning the taps on. We shall have a flood soon."
"If you were anything but a sneak you would take my part, and your own
share in the blame," Jack answered sharply, vainly endeavouring to
steady his quivering lip. "You are a coward to leave me to bear it all.
Why did you say that I broke the vase, when you know very well that you
pushed me against it? I may be a baby, but I'd rather be that than a
coward and a sneak."
Jack blurted out his last words boldly, and glared defiantly at his
stepbrother.
"Here, you shut up, baby!" cried Frank, slipping to the floor and
looking threateningly at him.
"Sha'n't," said Jack stubbornly. "You know it's the truth."
"It's the truth, is it, baby?" repeated the other, lifting his hand
menacingly. "Take it back, or I'll lick you."
"I won't take it back. You are a sneak and a coward, and now you are
trying to be a bully," cried Jack sturdily, facing his opponent without
a sign of flinching.
"Then take that!" shouted Frank, bringing his hand with a smack across
Jack's face.
Words ended there. Jack might be a baby and give way to tears when he
had been treated unkindly, for he was a very sensitive boy, though not
wanting in manliness, but for all that it took a considerable amount of
physical pain to make him whimper.
On the receipt of the blow from Frank his teeth closed tightly, cutting
off the cry he might otherwise have given; his hands shot out in front
of him, and moved rapidly backwards and forwards as he guarded the
vicious blows aimed at him, while he returned them with due interest
whenever there was an opportunity. To anyone who did not know the two
boys it looked at first a most unfair encounter, for, despite the fact
that little more than twelve months intervened between Jack's birthday
and that of Frank, the latter was at least three inches taller, and
correspondingly heavy.
But, though Nature had given him a body which overlapped Jack's by more
than a year's growth, it had placed within it a meagre stock of courage,
which fact was quickly brought to light.
In the first scuffle Frank's weight and reach gave him an advantage, and
in spite of his lack of science, he planted some heavy blows on Jack's
face, which, however, only seemed to increase the latter's stubbornness.
He took his punishment without a murmur, and, blinking to clear the
stars from his eyes, attacked his opponent with even more vigour and
fierceness than before. Then luck favoured him. He succeeded in
stopping an ugly rush with such abruptness as to make Frank stagger, and
followed it up with lightning-like rapidity.
That was the turning-point. Frank could no longer face him, but dodged
and scuttled round the room in a desperate hurry, vainly endeavouring to
avoid the blows. One more settled the matter. With a sharp and most
unpleasant thud Jack's fist struck him on the nose, and next moment the
bully was grovelling on the floor, writhing and shrieking as if in
agony, while a flood of tears poured down his cheeks.
It was a funny sight, and fat and jovial old Banks, who, at his
mistress's order, had scrambled hurriedly upstairs to learn what the
commotion was about, chuckled inwardly, and looked on in great
enjoyment. Nor was it the only part of the struggle he had witnessed.
He had arrived at the door of the play-room shortly after its
commencement, quite unknown to the boys, and there he remained,
listening for sounds from below, and waiting for a more opportune time
to interfere.
"That's it! Go it, my lads!" he murmured to himself, as he stood
panting on the landing outside. "You're bound to have it out, and I
ain't a-going to stop yer if I can help it. Best get it settled now.
That young Master Frank's been wanting a licking for a goodish time, and
I'll back Master Jack to give it him."
And so he stood calmly in the darkness, till Jack had, to the butler's
huge delight, proved victorious, when, having cautiously stolen back to
the top of the stairs, he returned, walking heavily across the landing,
and burst into the room. He was quickly followed by Mrs Somerton, at
whose appearance Frank's agonised bellows increased tenfold, while Jack
went sullenly to the fireplace and waited for the scolding which he knew
would undoubtedly be his. He was not disappointed, and a few minutes
later he had retired to his room in great disgrace.
On the following morning Captain Somerton called him into his study, and
explained with much kindness and sympathy that he had arranged to send
him away to school.
"It will be the best place for you, Jack," he said, patting him on the
back. "You are not too young to go to a public school, and I can vouch
for it that you will thoroughly enjoy the life. It will give you
opportunities of playing games and of making friends that you have never
had here. You will be leaving this house in about a week's time, and
till then, my boy, contrive to live on good terms with Frank. Do not
quarrel with him. A term at school will make all the difference, and
when you return here you two lads will be the best of friends. There,
that will do, Jack."
Captain Somerton had come to a wise determination. His wife was
strongly in favour of home education, and for that purpose a tutor
attended daily at the Grange. But to the captain's mind such a bringing
up was far from judicious. He himself had had a public-school life, and
had rubbed shoulders with hundreds of other boys, and he knew the value
of such a training. He argued, and argued rightly, that in the majority
of cases a boy who has never left his home becomes either a milk-sop or
a conceited youth, and he was strongly of opinion that Jack should go to
school. Now, much to his secret delight, there was an opportunity to
separate the boys and send Jack away from home, and he seized it
promptly.
Within two days of the quarrel between himself and Mrs Somerton, and
between Jack and Frank, he had posted off to a popular and high-class
public school not forty miles from London, where he arranged that Jack
should be sent at once, as the term was about to commence and he was
fortunate in obtaining a vacancy.
Meanwhile Jack had received the news of his impending change in life
with the greatest pleasure. For the past three years his had been
anything but a happy existence, and the knowledge that there was now to
be a change was therefore a source of delight to him. He was not a
quarrelsome lad; far from it. But for all that he was not the lad to
put up with ill-treatment; and his stepbrother's attempts to presume
upon his year of seniority so often approached the verge of
ill-treatment that trouble was constantly occurring.
Still, his father had asked him to be on good terms with Frank till he
left for school, and Jack determined to act up to the promise he had
given. He told his father he was sorry there had been a quarrel, and
retired to the schoolroom again. Frank was there, seated again on the
fire-guard, and greeted him with no very friendly looks, made all the
more unpleasant by the unnatural size of his nose and lips. But he had
had a lesson, and carefully confined himself to grimaces, fearing that
Jack might renew the struggle.
The week passed slowly, so that Jack was heartily glad when the carriage
drove up to the door, and he and his father were whirled away to the
station, together with a couple of large school boxes. The past seven
days had been decidedly dull and unpleasant. There had been an obvious
coolness between Captain and Mrs Somerton, which affected the whole
house, and in addition Frank had been silent and morose, and
occasionally inclined to forget his caution and venture upon sarcastic
jeers.
But Jack took it all calmly, the knowledge that he was going where he
would make many friends helping him to do so. He therefore carefully
abstained from answering, and when on the point of leaving, shook hands
with his stepbrother heartily. Mrs Somerton gave him a kiss which was
as cold as an icicle, and good-natured, fat old Banks squeezed his hand,
and huskily wished him good luck and good-bye.
It was not long before they arrived at their destination, and that night
Jack was one of the new boys at a large school where there were as many
as four hundred. It was a new experience, but he enjoyed it, despite
the many jokes which his comrades saw fit to make at his expense. For a
few days he put up with them all good-naturedly, and soon felt quite at
home; so much so, that before very long, when comparing his present life
with the unhappy days he had lately spent at Frampton Grange, he had
scarcely sufficient words of praise to bestow upon it.
He quickly fell into the ways of the school, and showed his masters what
they might expect of him--which, to tell the truth, was not a great deal
at first--and rapidly made friends with all his fellows. As with most
popular lads, a nickname was very soon found for him, though why it
should have been "Toby" not one of his comrades could have told you.
Still, that is what it was, but it was used always in the most friendly
way, which showed that he was a favourite.
Before many weeks had passed shouts of "Go it, Toby! Well hit, Toby!"
resounded across the playing-fields; while a stranger, looking on at the
game, might often have heard a sigh of relief from certain select lads
who, like himself, were spectators, as Jack walked out to take his place
at the wickets, and "Now we'll have better luck! Toby'll give 'em
beans!" muttered in very audible tones, and with every sign of
satisfaction.
If it was wet, and outdoor games were impossible, Jack was to be found
in the gymnasium, or in the workshop, using his hands as best he could,
and learning to be dexterous with his fingers.
Thus, in one way and another, he spent his days. The terms rapidly
succeeded one another, and almost before he could realise it, he was one
of the big boys of the school. At home matters seemed to have improved,
and separation had certainly had the effect of making Frank more
friendly. But still he was not quite the fellow that Jack was
accustomed to. Any attempt to rag or scuffle annoyed him, and sent him
upstairs to rearrange his clothing; and as for a rough-and-tumble game
of football, he looked on at such a thing with horror, as he also did at
Jack's venturesome attempts to ride a wild young colt which was out to
grass in the paddock. Such recklessness was beyond his comprehension;
he could not understand Jack's high spirits, and always endeavoured to
curb them as if he were in charge of him.
"Take him easy, Jack!" said Captain Somerton one day, noticing the
difference between his sons. "Frank is not used to your rough ways.
'Pon my word, you are like a young bull in a china shop! I hear your
shouts and your romping all over the house. But there, don't let me
discourage you. I love to hear it. It wakes the old place up. But be
careful, Jack, and if you can, endeavour to copy Frank in politeness.
See how well he behaves at meals, and notice how at afternoon-tea he
helps your mother when we have callers. Everyone remarks upon his
manners, and I can tell you, old boy, you should take a leaf from his
book. I like to see you in good spirits, but I also wish you to be well
accustomed to the ways of the people you will meet Remember this,
politeness is never thrown away; the smallest attention to your elders--
the mere opening of a door--is never forgotten, and has before now
helped many a man on in the world."
"Very well, Father, I'll do my best," replied Jack heartily. "But I'm
an awful bungler, I am afraid. Only yesterday I tried to do as Frank
does, and handed round the cream at tea in the drawing-room. I felt
just like an elephant; my feet got in the way, and I almost came a
cropper on the floor. Then, just as I was helping that old Mrs
Tomkins, I caught sight of Spot racing round the house after a cat. By
Jove! it was a near shave, and puss only just saved her skin by bolting
across the lawn and jumping into the beech-tree. But the worst of it
was, that while I was staring through the window old Tomkins was
whispering something or other to Miss Brown, and as neither of us was
watching her cup it moved a little to one side, and before I knew what
was happening the cream was pouring down her dress. Mother says it was
a brand-new one on that day, and that's perhaps why the old lady looked
at me so funnily. She said it didn't matter, but I could see she was
just boiling, and felt glad to get away. Then, of course, Mother had
something to say to me, and Frank called me a clumsy beggar. That's all
I got for trying to be polite. But I'll do what I can to learn; see if
I don't, Father!"
"Ha, ha, ha! That was an unfortunate beginning!" laughed Captain
Somerton. "I can well imagine poor Mrs Tomkins' disgust. You must be
more careful next time. Stick to it, old boy! There are lots of other
ways in which you can show your politeness, and if handing tea or cream
is too much for you, you must leave it alone for a while."
Jack was not discouraged by the want of success which attended his first
attempt. He was an observant lad, and quickly picked up his brother's
manners, so much so that when the holidays were over, and he returned to
school, his chums noticed that "Toby" was strangely altered. Out in the
playing-fields he was still the same jolly, noisy fellow, always ready
for a bit of fun. But at meal-times there was something different about
him; he was quieter and more polished.
And the change, little as it was valued by his schoolfellows, rapidly
caught the attention of his masters, and in consequence they took more
notice of him, and became quite attached to the lad.
But in spite of this change in Jack, he led the way in all outdoor
games, and indeed was as noisy and high-spirited as ever. So that
during holiday times he and Frank still differed vastly from one
another. The latter had now donned the very highest of stick-up
collars, and his ties were a source of the greatest anxiety to him. In
addition, owing to Mrs Somerton's foolishness, his allowance of ready
money enabled him to do as he wished as regards his clothes. And in
consequence, he was never happier than when at his tailor's, trying on
some new suit.
To many other boys this is a great pleasure, and indeed it is a
gratifying thing to see a lad careful of his personal appearance, and
always anxious to appear neat and tidy. But the boy who expends all his
time and money in dressing himself, and to whom the rough clothes and
boots and the dirt associated with a game of football are distasteful,
is a fop, and a fop is the least attractive of all individuals.
This was what Frank was fast becoming. He was selfish and indolent, and
gave himself such airs that to a lad of Jack's breezy nature he was
perfectly intolerable. But Jack had promised his father to live
peacefully with him, and he kept his promise faithfully, only
disagreeing openly when Frank attempted to dictate to him or order him
about. Then there was invariably an angry scene, during which Jack
pointed out to his brother in plain, matter-of-fact terms that the
consequences might be painful if he persisted in trying to rule; and
Frank, remembering a struggle, now some years past, in which he had
decidedly come off the worse, usually contented himself with some
sarcastic remark, and went off to Mrs Somerton to tell her his
grievances. So that, altogether, life at Frampton Grange was not so
happy as it might have been, and Jack far preferred his school-days.
What he did enjoy, however, were the summer holidays, when, by mutual
consent, the family divided, and Jack and Captain Somerton went for a
trip on the Continent.
At school he was now a prefect, and a most popular boy, and thoroughly
appreciated his life. Though, like others of his age, he was looking
forward to the time when he would take some position in the world a
little more exalted than a school-boy's, he was yet in no hurry to say
"Goodbye!" Cricket and football and his comrades were strong
inducements to stay, and when at last the unexpected happened, and
misfortune burst like a bomb at his feet, he looked back at the old days
with a longing and regret which was never deeper in any boy's heart.