"Then my cousin did not die, after all?"
"Him? Die? Not, he, sir. He wouldn't, die a bit. He allus was a base
deceiver of a fellow--beggin' your pardon, sir."
"And I frightened myself into that folly for nothing!"
"Well, he was bad, sir, certainly; and the doctors thought so, too. But
he allus falls on his feet, sir. I don't. Nice mess I made of it,
sir!"
"Ah! How came you to enlist, Jerry?" said Dick, forcing himself to take
some interest in his old servant.
"How came I to 'list, sir? Why, all along o' him. I got in such a mess
I had to leave Mr Draycott's."
"How, Jerry? Why?"
"Got wild, sir. I'd been idgit enough to think as I could make a lot o'
money with my savings by putting 'em on hosses, and so soon as I did,
sir, they wouldn't win a bit; and, from going to the hosses, I went next
to the dogs; and then I was in such a state that there was no chance for
me at all; and I wrote to him at last, for I see his name in the paper
as being gazetted to the 310th. And what d'yer think he said?"
"I don't know, Jerry," said Dick, dreamily, for he was again thinking of
his own troubles.
"He said I'd better enlist, and then he could have me as his servant
again."
"Yes, exactly."
"Well, sir, it's 'bout the last thing I should ever ha' thought o'
doing, but it seemed all right. Officer's servant wouldn't be bad, and
there'd sure to be some perks."
"Some what?"
"Perks, sir--perkisites: old boots and shoes and things. So I 'listed
six months ago, and here have I, Jeremiah Brigley, been barked at and
drilled till I could stand on my head stiff and go through it all."
"Yes, you would have to be drilled," said Dick, thoughtfully; "and how
do you get on as his servant?"
"Get on, sir? As his servant, sir? Why, he on'y laughed at me, and
told me he'd got somebody else; and when I turned rusty, and told him he
was no gent, he reported me and had me punished. But I wasn't done,
then; for, as soon as I was out, I waits my chance, and then I says to
him, `You look out,' I says, `and mind I don't make it warm for you.'"
"What do you mean?"
"Why, go and tell his colonel, sir, all about his borrowing of old
Simpson, the tailor, and throwing the credit about that there cheque on
to you. For it was a reg'lar swindle, sir; you didn't get none of that
money, as I know. Ah, you should have seen how small he was then! Why,
he was quite humble to me, and said it was all a mistake, and, as soon
as he could, he'd get me for his servant. But he won't, and a good job
for him and me, too, S'Richard, sir."
"Silence, man!"
"I beg pardon, sir. O' course, that's wrong now; but I tell you this,
sir: he's made me that wild again with myself, and now about you, sir,
that, if I had to cut his hair or strop a razor to shave him, I should
chuck the tools out o' window. I daren't go nigh him with such a weppun
in my hand."
"Rubbish, Jerry! You're absurd!" cried Dick, shaking off the thoughts
which troubled him as he determined to go to the colonel or Mr Lacey
and explain all.
"No, sir, it ain't absurd. Flesh and blood 'll stand a deal, but there
comes a time when it won't stand no more. Sir Mark Frayne's one o'
they--Here! hold up, sir; it's your turn now."
For Dick had started to his feet.
"What?" he cried, huskily. "Say that again."
"What--about Sir Mark, sir?"
"Sir Mark?"
"Oh, yes, sir; you was dead and buried, his father died, and he became
Sir Mark. Yes, sir, he's a barrownet now, and got all your tin; and, my
word, he does make it fly!"