William at Christmas by Richmal Crompton

Author:Richmal Crompton [Crompton, Richmal]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781509822744
Publisher: Pan Macmillan

CHAPTER 6

WILLIAM PLAYS SANTA CLAUS

William walked slowly and thoughtfully down the village street. It was the week after Christmas. Henry was still away. Douglas and Ginger were the only two of his friends left in the village. Henry’s absence had its bright side because Henry’s father had, in the excitement of the departure, forgotten to lock his garage and the Outlaws found Henry’s father’s garage a nice change from the old barn, their usual meeting place. William was glad that Christmas was over. He’d not done badly out of it on the whole, but Christmas was a season too sacred to the conventions and to uncongenial relatives to appeal to William.

Suddenly he saw someone coming down the village street towards him. It was Mr Solomon, the superintendent of the Sunday School of which William was a reluctant but inglorious member. William had his reasons for not wishing to meet Mr Solomon. Mr Solomon had organised a party of waits for Christmas Eve from his Sunday School attendants and William had not only joined this party but had assumed leadership of it. They had managed to detach themselves from Mr Solomon quite early in the evening and had spent the night in glorious lawlessness. William had not seen Mr Solomon since that occasion because Mr Solomon had had a slight nervous breakdown and William was now torn between a desire to elude him and a desire to tackle him. The desire to elude him needs no explanation. The desire to tackle was equally simple. William had heard that Mr Solomon, who was ever prolific in fresh ideas, had decided to form a band from the elder boys of the Sunday School. It may be thought that Mr Solomon should have learnt wisdom from his experience on Christmas Eve but then Mr Solomon had decided to ensure success for his scheme by the simple process of debarring the Outlaws from it. William had heard of this and the news had filled him with such righteous indignation that it overcame even his natural reluctance to meet the organiser of the Christmas Eve carol party.

He confronted him squarely.

‘Afternoon, Mr Solomon,’ he said.

Mr Solomon looked him up and down with distaste.

‘Good afternoon, my boy,’ he said icily. ‘I am on my way to pay a visit to your parents.’

This news was not encouraging. William turned to accompany him, consoled slightly by the knowledge that both his parents were out. Losing no time he boldly approached the subject of the band.

‘Hear you’re gettin’ up a band, Mr Solomon,’ he said casually.

‘I am,’ said Mr Solomon more icily than ever.

‘I’d like to be a trumpeter,’ said William, still casually.

‘You have not been asked to join the band,’ went on Mr Solomon with a firmness unusual in that mild young man, but his mind was still raw with the memories of Christmas Eve, ‘and you will not be asked to join the band.’

‘Oh,’ said William politely.

‘You may wonder,’ went on Mr Solomon with deep emotion, ‘why I am going to pay a visit to your parents.

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