Just William’s Luck by Richmal Crompton

Author:Richmal Crompton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-12-29T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER IX

HENRY and Douglas did not stop to draw breath till they had nearly reached the old barn. Then, feeling themselves safe from pursuit, they slowed their progress to a walking pace, looking back occasionally to make sure that neither Ethel nor Jimmy was following them.

“ ’S all right,” said Henry. “No one’s comin’ after us. I didn’t know you were goin’ there.”

“An’ I didn’t know you were goin’ there,” said Douglas aggrievedly. “You might have told me.”

“Well, I thought you knew John was crazy on her. He always has been.”

“So’s George always been. An’ now,” disconsolately, “I bet there’s no chance of marryin’ either of them to her. I bet she’ll marry that ole Jimmy Moore.”

“He’s got no manners,” said Henry severely. “It’s news to me,” copying one of William’s favourite expressions, “it’s news to me that people that go callin’ on other people with messages can get said ‘Get out’ to by other people that are only callin’ on other people same as them an’ that the house doesn’t belong to. I don’t mind,” philosophically, “bein’ said ‘Get out’ to by people that a house belongs to—I’m used to it—but he’d no right to say it.”

Douglas, who was not interested in Jimmy Moore’s social lapses, continued the recital of his own grievances.

“She didn’t even let me say anythin’,” he grumbled. “I bet I’d’ve found that paper if she’d given me time.”

William and Jumble were at the door of the old barn, waiting for them.

“Well?” said William anxiously. “How did you get on?”

“We didn’t get on at all,” said Douglas. “We both went to Ethel an’ she jus’ sent us away. She didn’t even answer. Gosh! I wish I hadn’t put those acid drops in. I bet I never see them again.”

“An’ I bet I get in an awful row for takin’ those flowers,” said Henry, for the memory of the action that had seemed so necessary and reasonable at the time was beginning to fill him with apprehension now that tea-time and a return to the bosom of his family loomed nearer.

“Oh, Ethel!” said William. “Dunno why you went to her. She’s the worst-tempered girl I’ve ever met. Dunno what all those men see in her.”

“She—looks sort of nice,” said Douglas.

“I’ve seen her when she doesn’t,” said William darkly.

“How did you get on?” said Douglas.

“All right,” said William, casting a somewhat optimistic eye back over the events of the afternoon. “She didn’t say she wouldn’t marry him, anyway. An’ she took the flowers.”

“What did you give her?”

“Forget-me-nots,” said William. “Off the rubbish heap. But there was quite a lot of blue left on them. On some of them, anyway.”

“Well, we don’t seem to’ve got much done so far,” said Douglas morosely. “Has anyone left a note wantin’ a wrong rightin’?”

“No,” said William, “I’ve looked.”

“Doesn’t matter what we try to do,” said Douglas, “somethin’ always goes wrong with it.”

“Oh, shut up grumblin’,” said William. “There’s a lot of the day still left. I bet we do somethin’. Where’s Ginger?”

“Dunno. He’s jolly lucky havin’ his brother fixed up to get married already.

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