Quicksilver: The Boy With No Skid to His Wheel

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

  A RECORD OF CARES.

  "Hang his impudence!" said the doctor. "What do you think he told me?"

  "Sir James?"

  "Yes, my dear. Told me I was a regular modern Frankenstein, and that Ihad made a young monster to worry me to death. Such insolence!Dexter's growing a very nice lad, and I feel as if I could make anobleman of him if I liked, but I think I'll send him to a good schoolfor a bit. You see, he's full of promise, Helen."

  "Yes, papa," said Helen, suppressing her mirth.

  "Ah! now you are laughing at me. I mean full of the promise that willsome day mean performance. But--yes, I will send him to a good school."

  A good school was selected, and Dexter duly sent down to it, leavingHelen very unwillingly, but holding up manfully, and the doctor said hewould come back at the holiday-time vastly improved.

  In six weeks Dr Grayson received a letter asking him to fetch Dexteraway to save him from being expelled.

  The Doctor looked very angry as he went down to Cardley Willows, and theinquiries took a stern, rather bitter turn.

  "Has the boy been a young blackguard?" he said.

  "No," said the principal.

  "Dishonest?"

  "Oh dear no!"

  "Well, what is it then--disobedient!"

  "Oh dear no! He'll promise anything."

  "Humph! yes," said the doctor to himself.

  "I'm very sorry, Dr Grayson," continued the principal; "but the boy isincorrigible, and you must take him away."

  The doctor took the boy away, and he had a very stern talking-to athome.

  Two months passed away.

  "There, Helen," said the doctor one morning; "what do you say to himnow? Wonderfully improved, has he not? Good natural boy's colour inhis cheeks--better blood, you see, and nice curly hair. Really he isnot like the same."

  "No, papa; he is greatly changed," said Helen, as she followed thedirection of her father's eyes to where Dexter was out on the lawnwatching old Dan'l, while old Dan'l, in a furtive manner, was diligentlywatching him in return.

  "Greatly changed," said the doctor thoughtfully, as he scratched theside of his nose with his penholder, "in personal appearance. Sir Jamesseems very sore still about that little affair. Says I ought to havethrashed Dexter, for he behaved brutally to young Edgar."

  "And what did you say, papa?"

  "Well, not exactly all I thought. Dreadful young limb that Edgar.Spoiled boy, but I could not tell Danby so with such a catalogue ofoffences as Master Dexter has to show on my black list. You see, Helen,we do not get any further with him."

  Helen shook her head sadly.

  "There's something wrong in his brain; or something wanting. He'llpromise amendment one hour, and go and commit the same fault the verynext."

  "It is very sad," replied Helen thoughtfully; "but I'm sure he meanswell."

  "Yes, my dear; of course," said the doctor, looking perplexed; "but it'sa great drawback to one's success. But there: we must persevere. Itseems to me that the first thing to do is to wean him from that terriblelove of low companions."

  "Say companion," said Helen, smiling.

  "Well, a companion, then. I wish we could get that young fishingscoundrel sent away; but of course one cannot do that. Oh, by the way,what about Maria? Is she going away?"

  "No," said Helen. "I had a long talk to her about her unreasoningdislike to Dexter, and she has consented to stay."

  "Well, it's very kind of her," said the doctor testily. "I suppose MrsMillett will be giving warning next."

  "Oh no," said Helen; "she finds a good deal of fault, but I think, onthe whole, she feels kindly toward the poor boy."

  "Don't!" cried the doctor, giving the writing-table so angry a slap withhis open hand that a jet of ink shot out of the stand and made half adozen great splashes. "Now, look there, what you've made me do," hecontinued, as he began hastily to soak up the black marks withblotting-paper. "I will not have Dexter called `the poor boy.' He isnot a poor boy. He is a human waif thrown up on life's shore. No, no:and you are not to call him a human waif. I shall well educate him, andplace him on the high-road toward making his way properly in life as agentleman should, and I'll show the whole world that I'm right."

  "You shall, papa," said Helen merrily; "and I will help you all I can."

  "I know you will, my dear, and you are helping me," cried the doctorwarmly; "and it's very good of you. But I do wish we could make himthink before he does anything. His mischievous propensities are simplyhorrible. And now, my dear, about his education. We must do somethingmore, if it is only for the sake of keeping him out of trouble. You aredoing nobly, but that is not enough. I did mean to read classics withhim myself, but I have no time. My book takes too much thought. Now, Iwill not send the poor boy--"

  "`Poor boy,' papa!" said Helen merrily.

  "Eh? Did I say `poor boy'!" cried the doctor, scratching his noseagain.

  "Yes."

  "Ah, well; I did not mean it. I was going to say I will not send him toanother school. He would be under too many disadvantages, so I think wewill decide upon a private tutor."

  "Yes, papa; a very excellent arrangement."

  "Yes, I think it is; and--well, Maria, what is it!"

  "Dan'l, sir," said that young lady, who spoke very severely, as if shecould hardly contain her feelings; "and he'd be glad to know if youcould see him a minute."

  "Send him in, Maria," said the doctor; and then, as the housemaid leftthe room, "Well, it can't be anything about Dexter now, because he isout there on the--"

  The doctor's words were delivered more and more slowly as he rose andwalked toward the open window, while Helen felt uneasy, and full ofmisgivings.

  "Why, the young dog was here just now," cried the doctor angrily. "Now,really, Helen, if he has been at any tricks this time, I certainly willset up a cane."

  "O papa!"

  "Yes, my dear, I certainly will, much as I object to corporalpunishment. Well, Daniel, what is it!"

  Old Dan'l had a straw hat in his hand--a hat that was rather ragged atthe edge, and with which, as if it was to allay some irritation, he keptsawing one finger.

  "Beg pardon, sir--pardon, Miss," said Dan'l apologetically; "but if Imight speak and say a few words--"

  "Certainly, Daniel; you may do both," said the doctor.

  "Thanky, sir--thanky kindly, Miss," said the gardener, half-putting hishat on twice so as to have it in the proper position for making a bow;"which I'm the last man in the world, sir, to make complaints."

  "Humph!" ejaculated the doctor.

  "Serving you as I have now for over twenty year, and rememberingpuffickly well, Miss, when you was only a pink bit of a baby, as likeone o' my tender carnations as could be, only more like a Count deeParish rose."

  "Well, what's the matter, Daniel?" said the doctor hastily, for hewanted to bring the old man's prosings to an end.

  "Well, sir, heverythink, as you may say, is the matter. Look at me,sir; I've suffered more in that garden than mortal man would believe!"

  "Oh, have you!" said the doctor, taking off his glasses. "You don'tlook so very bad, Daniel, for a man of sixty-five."

  "Sixty-four and three-quarters, begging your pardon, sir; but I havesuffered. I've laid awake nights and nights thinking of what was bestfor planting them borders with s'rubs, as is now a delight to the humaneye; and I've walked that garden hundreds o' nights with a lanthorn insearch o' slugs, as comes out o' they damp meadows in in countedmillions; and I've had my cares in thrips and red spider and green fly,without saying a word about scale and them other blights as never had noname. But never in my life--never in all my born days--never since Iwas first made a gardener, have I suffered anythink like as I'vesuffered along o' that there boy."

  "Nonsense, Daniel! nonsense!" cried the doctor pettishly.

  "Well, sir, I've served you faithful, and took such a pride in thatthere garden as never was, and you may call it nonsense
, sir, but when Isee things such as I see, I say it's time to speak."

  "Why, you are always coming to me with some petty complaint, sir, aboutthat boy."

  "Petty complaint, sir!" cried Dan'l indignantly. "Is Ribstons a pettycomplaint--my chycest Ribstons, as I want for dessert at Christmas? Andis my Sturmer pippins a petty complaint--them as ought to succeed theRibstons in Febbery and March?"

  "Why, what about them?" cried the doctor.

  "Oh, nothing, sir; only as half the town's t'other side o' the river,and my pippins is being shovelled over wholesale."

  The doctor walked out into the hall and put on his hat, with Dan'lfollowing him; and, after a moment's hesitation, Helen took up asunshade, and went down the garden after her father.

  She overtook him as he was standing by a handsome espalier, dotted withthe tawny red-streaked Ribstons, while Dan'l was pointing to a couple ofnewly-made footmarks.

  "Humph! Not all gone, then?" said the doctor, frowning.

  "Not yet!" growled Dan'l. "And see there, Miss; there was four stunnerson that there little branch this mornin', and they're all gone!"

  "Where is Master Dexter?" said the doctor.

  Dan'l made a jerking motion with his thumb over his right shoulder, andthe doctor walked on over the grass toward the bottom of the grounds.

  The little party advanced so noiselessly that they were unheard, and inanother minute they were near enough to hear Dexter exclaim--

  "Now, then; this time--catch!"

  The doctor stopped short in time to see, according to Dan'l's version,the Ribstons and Sturmers thrown across the river to half the town.

  "Half the town," according to Dan'l, consisted of Bob Dimsted, who hadlaid down his rough fishing-rod, and was holding half an apple in onehand, munching away the while, as he caught another deftly; and he wasin the act of stuffing it into his pocket as he caught sight of thedoctor, and stood for a few moments perfectly motionless. Then,stooping quickly, he gathered up his tackle and ran.

  "What's the matter!" cried Dexter.

  Bob made no reply, but ran off; and as he did so, Dexter laughingly tookanother apple from his pocket--a hard green Sturmer pippin, which hethrew with such force and accuracy that it struck Bob right in themiddle of the back, when the boy uttered a cry of alarm, ran moreswiftly, and Dexter stood for a moment roaring with laughter, and thenturned to find himself face to face with the trio who had come down thegarden.

  "And them pippins worth twopence apiece at Christmas, sir!" cried Dan'l.

  "What are you doing, Dexter!" cried the doctor sternly.

  "I was only giving him an apple or two," said the boy, after a fewmoments' hesitation.

  "Come in, sir," cried the doctor.

  "A month's notice, if you please, sir, from to-day," said Dan'l,frowning angrily; but no one paid any heed to him, for the doctor hadlaid his hand upon Dexter's shoulder, and marched him off.

  "And I've never said nothing yet about our bees," grumbled Dan'l. "Ayoung tyke! Raddled 'em up with a long stick on purpose to get me stungto death, he did, as is a massy I warn't. Well, a month to-day. Eitherhe goes or I do. Such whims, to have a boy like that about the place.Well, I'm glad I've brought it to a head, for the doctor won't part withme."

  "Now, sir," said the doctor, as he seated himself in his chair, andHelen took up her work, carefully keeping her eyes off Dexter, wholooked at her appealingly again and again. "Now, sir, what have you tosay for yourself?"

  Dexter looked at the doctor, and his countenance was so unpleasantlyangry that the ceiling, the floor, and the various objects around seemedpreferable, and were carefully observed in turn.

  "Do you hear, sir? What have you to say for yourself!"

  "What about?" faltered Dexter at last.

  "What about, sir? Just as if you did not know! Weren't you forbiddento touch those apples!"

  "Only by Daniel, sir; and he said I was never to touch any fruit at all;but you said I might."

  "Yes--I did. I said you might have some fruit."

  "Apples is fruit," said Dexter.

  "_Are_ fruit--_are_ fruit, sir," cried the doctor, in an exasperatedtone.

  "Apples _are_ fruit," said Dexter.

  "But I did not tell you to pick my choice pippins and throw them acrossthe river to every blackguard boy you see."

  "But he hasn't got a beautiful garden like we have," protested Dexter.

  "What has that got to do with it, sir?" cried the doctor angrily. "Idon't grow fruit and keep gardeners on purpose to supply the wants ofall the little rascals in the place."

  "He asked me to get him some apples, sir."

  "Asked you to get him some, indeed! Look here, sir; I've tried veryhard to make you a decent boy by kindness, but it does no good. Youwere told not to associate with that boy any more."

  "Please, sir, I didn't," cried Dexter. "I didn't, indeed, sir."

  "What? Why, I saw you talking to him, and giving him fruit."

  "Please, sir, I couldn't help it. I didn't 'sociate with him; he wouldcome and 'sociate with me."

  "Bah!" ejaculated the doctor.

  "And he said if I didn't give him some apples and pears he'd come andstand in front of the windows here and shout `workus' as loud as hecould."

  "I shall have to send the police after him," said the doctor fiercely;"and as for you, sir, I've quite made up my mind what to do. Kind wordsare thrown away. I shall now purchase a cane--and use it."

  "Oh, I say, don't," cried Dexter, giving himself a writhe, as herecalled sundry unpleasant interviews with Mr Sibery. "It does hurtso, you don't know; and makes black marks on you afterwards, just as ifit had been dipped in ink."

  Helen bent down over the work she had taken up.

  "Don't?" said the doctor sharply. "Then what am I to do, sir? Wordsare of no use. I did hope that you were going to be a better and moretractable boy."

  "Well, but ain't I?" said Dexter, looking puzzled, and rubbing his curlyhead.

  "Better? No, sir; much worse."

  Dexter rubbed his head again thoughtfully.

  "I haven't torn my clothes this week, and I haven't been down on myknees; and I haven't been on the top of the wall, and I did want to everso badly."

  "No, Dexter; but you climbed right to the top of the big pear-tree,"said Helen quickly; "and it was a terribly dangerous thing to do."

  "Now you've begun at me!" said the boy in a lachrymose tone. "I'mafraid I'm a regular bad one, and you'd better send me back again."

  The doctor looked at Helen, and she returned the glance with a veryserious aspect, but there was a merry light in her eyes, as she saw herfather's discomfiture.

  He read her looks aright, and got up from his seat with an impatientejaculation.

  "I'm going out, my dear," he said shortly.

  "Are you going to get a cane!" cried Dexter excitedly. "I say, don't,and I will try so hard to do what you want."

  "I was not going to buy a cane, sir," said the doctor, who washalf-angry, half-amused by the boy's earnestness. "One of mywalking-sticks would do very well when I give you a good soundthrashing. Here, Helen, my dear, you can speak to Dexter a bit. I willhave another talk to him to-night."

  The doctor left the room, and Dexter stood listening as his step washeard in the hall. Then the door closed, and Helen bent thoughtfullyover her work, while the boy stood first on one foot, then on the other,watching her. The window was open, the sun shone, and the garden withits lawn and bright flowers looked wonderfully tempting, but duty andthe disgrace he was in acted as two chains to hold the boy there.

  "I say," he said at last.

  "Yes, Dexter," said Helen, looking up at him sadly.

  "Oh, I say, don't look at me like that," he cried.

  "You force me to, Dexter," she said gravely.

  "But ain't you going to talk to me!"

  "If I talk to you, it will only be to scold you very severely."

  Dexter sighed.

  "Well," he said, after a pa
use, during which he had been gazing intentlyin the earnest eyes before him; "you've got to do it, so let's have itover. I was always glad when I had been punished at school."

  "Glad, Dexter?"

  "Yes, glad it was over. It was the worst part of it waiting to haveyour whack!"

  "Do you want to oblige me, Dexter?" said Helen, wincing at the boy'swords.

  "Yes, of course I do. Want me to fetch something?"

  "No. Once more I want you to promise to leave off some of thoseobjectionable words."

  "But it's of no use to promise," cried the boy, with a look of angryperplexity. "I always break my word."

  "Then why do you!"

  "I dunno," said Dexter. "There's something in me I think that makes me.You tell me to be a good boy, and I say I will, and I always mean tobe; but somehow I can't. I think it's because nobody likes me,because--because--because I came from there."

  "Do I behave to you as if I did not like you?" said Helen reproachfully.

  The boy was on his knees beside her in a moment, holding her handagainst his cheek as he looked up at her with his lip working, and adumb look of pitiful pleading in his eyes.

  "I do not think I do, Dexter."

  He shook his head, and tried to speak. Then, springing up suddenly, heran out of the study, dashed upstairs, half-blind with the tears whichhe was fighting back, and then with his head down through the open doorinto his bedroom, when there was a violent collision, a shriek followedby a score more to succeed a terrific crash, and when in alarm Helen andMrs Millet ran panting up, it was to find Dexter rubbing his head, andMaria seated in the middle of the boy's bedroom with the sherds of abroken toilet pail upon the floor, and an ewer lying upon its side, andthe water soaking into the carpet.

  "What is the matter?" cried Helen.

  "I won't--I won't--I declare I won't put up with it no longer!" criedthe maid in the intervals of sundry sobs and hysterical cries.

  "But how did it happen!" said Mrs Millet.

  "It's--sit's--sit's--sit's--sit's--sit's--his tricks again," sobbedMaria.

  "Dexter!" cried Helen.

  "Yes--es--Miss--es--ma'am," sobbed Maria. "I'd dide--I'd dide--I'd--just half--half--half filled the war--war--war--ter--jug, and he ran--ran--ran at me with his head--dead in the chest--and then--then--then--then knocked me dud--dud--dud--down, and I'll go at once, I will--there."

  "Dexter," said Helen sternly; "was this some trick?"

  "I don't know," said the boy sadly. "I s'pose so."

  "But did you run at Maria and try to knock her down?"

  "No," said Dexter. "I was going into my room in a hurry, and she wascoming out."

  "He did it o' purpose, Miss," cried Maria viciously.

  "That will do, Maria," said Helen with dignity. "Mrs Millet, see thatthese broken pieces are removed. Dexter, come down to the drawing-roomwith me."

  Dexter sighed and followed, feeling the while that after all the UnionSchool was a happy place, and that he certainly was not happy here.

  "It is very unfortunate that you should meet with such accidents,Dexter," said Helen, as soon as they were alone.

  "Yes," he said piteously, "ain't it? I say--"

  "Well, Dexter!"

  "It's no good. I know what he wants to do. He said he wanted to make agentleman of me, but you can't do it, and I'd better be 'prenticed to ashoemaker, same as lots of boys have been."

  Helen said nothing, but looked at the boy with a troubled gaze, as shewondered whether her father's plan was possible.

  "You had better go out in the garden again, Dexter," she said after atime.

  The trouble had been passing off, and Dexter leaped up with alacrity;but as he reached the window he saw Dan'l crossing the lawn, and hestopped short, turned, and came back to sit down with a sigh.

  "Well, Dexter," said Helen, "why don't you go?"

  He gave her a pitiful look which went right to her heart, as he saidslowly--

  "No. I shan't go. I should only get into trouble again."