Quicksilver: The Boy With No Skid to His Wheel

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

  DEXTER WRITES A LETTER.

  Dexter watched his chance one afternoon when the study was empty, andstole in, looking very guilty.

  Maria saw him going in, and went into the kitchen and told Mrs Millett.

  "I don't care," she said, "you may say what you like, but it's in him."

  "What's in him!" said the old housekeeper, raising her tortoise-shellspectacles so as to get a good look at Maria, who seemed quite excited.

  "Master may have tutors as is clergymen to teach him, and Miss Helen maytalk and try, but he's got it in him, and you can't get it out."

  "Who are you talking about, Maria," said the old lady testily.

  "That boy," said Maria, shaking her head. "It's of no good, he's got itin him, and nothing won't get it out."

  "Bless my heart!" cried Mrs Millett, thinking first of mustard andwater, and then of castor-oil, "has the poor fellow swallowedsomething?"

  "No-o-o-o!" ejaculated Maria, drawing the word out to nearly a foot inlength.

  "But you said he'd got something in him, Maria. Good gracious me, girl!what do you mean!"

  "Sin and wickedness, Mrs Millett. He comes of a bad lot, and Dan'lsays he's always keeping bad company."

  "Dan'l's a chattering old woman, and had better mind his slugs andsnails."

  "But the boy's always in mischief; see how he spoiled your silk dress."

  "Only spotted it, Maria, and it was clean water. I certainly thought itrained as I went under his window."

  "Yes, and you fetched your umbrella."

  "I did, Maria. But he's better now. Give him his physic regular, andit does him good."

  "Did you find out what was the matter with those salts and senny!"

  "No, Maria, I did not. I had to break the glass to get it out; set hardas a stone. It was a good job he did not take it."

  Mrs Millett never did find out that Dexter had poured in cement tillthe glass would hold no more, and his medicine became a solid lump.

  "Ah, you'll be tired of him soon," said Maria.

  "No, I don't think I shall, Maria. You see he's a boy, and he doesbehave better. Since I told him not, he hasn't taken my basting-spoonto melt lead for what he calls nickers; and then he hasn't repeated thatwicked cruel trick of sitting on the wall."

  "Why, I see him striddling the ridge of the old stable, with his back tothe weathercock, only yesterday."

  "Yes, Maria, but he wasn't fishing over the wall with worms to try andcatch Mrs Biggins's ducks, a very cruel trick which he promised me hewouldn't do any more; and he hasn't pretended to be a cat on the roof,nor yet been to me to extract needles which he had stuck through hischeeks out of mischief; and I haven't seen him let himself down from thestable roof with a rope; and, as I told him, that clothes-line wasn'trope."

  "Ah, you always sided with the boy, Mrs Millett," said Maria; "but markmy words, some of these mornings we shall get up and find that he haslet burglars into the house, and Master and Miss Helen will be robbedand murdered in their beds."

  "Maria, you're a goose," said the old housekeeper. "Don't talk suchrubbish."

  "Ah, you may call it rubbish, Mrs Millett, but if you'd seen that boyjust now stealing--"

  "Stealing, Maria?"

  "Yes 'm, stealing into Master's study like a thief in the night--andafter no good, I'll be bound,--you wouldn't be so ready to take hispart."

  "Gone in to write his lessons," said Mrs Millett. "There, you go andget about your work."

  Maria snorted, stuck out her chin, and left the kitchen.

  "Yes, she may talk, but I say he's after no good," muttered thehousemaid; "and I'm going to see what he's about, or my name ain't whatit is."

  Meanwhile Dexter was very busy in the study, but in a furtive waywriting the following letter in a bold, clear hand, which was, however,rather shaky in the loops of the letters, while the capitals had aninclination to be independent, and to hang away from the small lettersof the various words:--

  Sir,

  Me and a friend have borrowed your boat, for we are going a longjourney; but as we may keep it all together, I send to you fourteenshillings and a fourpny piece, which I have saved up, and if that isn'tquite quite enough I shall send you some more. I hope you won't mindour taking your boat, but Bob Dimsted says we must have it, or we can'tget on.

  Yours af--very truly,

  Obed Coleby, or To Sir Jhames Danby, Dexter Grayson.

  Dexter's spelling was a little shaky here and there, but the letter waspretty intelligible; and, as soon as it was done, he took out his moneyand made a packet of it, and doubled it up, a task he had nearlyfinished, when he became aware that the door was partly opened, and ashe guiltily thrust the packet into his pocket the door opened widely,and Maria entered, with a sharp, short cough.

  "Did I leave my duster here, Master Dexter!" she said, looking roundsharply.

  Before Dexter could reply, she continued--

  "No, I must have left it upstairs."

  She whisked out and closed the door with a bang, the very opposite ofthe way in which she had opened it, and said to herself triumphantly--

  "There, I knew he was doing of something wrong, and if I don't find himout, my name ain't Maria."

  Dexter hurriedly finished his packet, laying the money in it again afterfurther consideration--in and out amongst the paper, so that the moneyshould not chink, and then placing it in the enclosure with the letter,he tied it up with a piece of the red tape the doctor kept in a littledrawer, sealed it, and directed it in his plainest hand to Sir JamesDanby.

  Dexter felt better after this was done, and the jacket-pocket a littlebulgy in which his missive was stuffed. He had previously felt a littleuneasy about the boat; but though not quite at rest now, he felt bettersatisfied, and as if this was a duty done.

  That same evening, just before it grew dusk, Dexter watched hisopportunity, and stole off down the garden, after making sure that hewas not watched.

  There was no one visible on the other side, and it seemed as if BobDimsted was not coming, so after waiting a few minutes Dexter was aboutto go back to the house, with the intention of visiting his pets, whenthere was a loud chirping whistle from across the river.

  Dexter looked sharply through the gathering gloom; but still no one wasvisible, and then the chirp came again.

  "Are you there, Bob?"

  "Why, course I am," said that young gentleman, rising up from where hehad lain flat behind a patch of coarse herbage. "I'm not the sort ofchap to stay away when I says I'll come. Nearly ready!"

  "Ye-es," said Dexter.

  "No gammon, you know," said Bob. "I mean it, so no shirking out."

  "I mean to come too," said Dexter with a sigh.

  "Well, you do sound jolly cheerful; you don't know what a game it'sgoing to be."

  "No, not quite--yet," said Dexter. "But how are we going to manage!"

  "Well, if ever!" exclaimed Bob. "You are a rum chap, and no mistake.Of course we shall take the boat, and I've got that table-cloth readyfor a sail, and a bit of rope to hoist it up."

  Dexter winced about that table-cloth, one which he had borrowed at Bob'swish from the housekeeper's room.

  "But must we take that boat?"

  "Why, of course, but we shall send it back some day as good as new,hanging behind a ship, and then have it sent up the river. I know lotsof fellows who'll put it back for me if I ask 'em."

  Dexter felt a little better satisfied, and then listened to hiscompanion's plans, which were very simple, but effective all the same,though common honesty did not come in.

  The conversation was carried on across the river, and to ensure its notbeing heard, Dexter lay down on the grass and put his lips close to thewater, Bob Dimsted doing the same, when, it being quite a still evening,conversation became easy.

  "What are your people doing now?" said Bob, after they had been talkingsome time.

  "Dr Grayson is writing, and Miss Grayson reading."

 
"Why, we might go now--easy."

  "No," said Dexter. "If we did, it would be found out directly, and weshould be fetched back, and then, I dare say, they'd send me again tothe school."

  "And yer don't want to go there again, do you!"

  "No," said Dexter, with a shudder. "Don't forget the ball of string Itold you about?"

  "No, I've got that," replied Bob sharply. "And p'r'aps that won't belong enough. It's very deep in the sea. Now mind, you're here."

  "Yes, I'll mind."

  "If yer don't come, I won't never forgive you for making a fool of me."

  "I won't do that," said Dexter; and then after a little more hesitationas to something he particularly wanted to do, and which he saw no otherway of doing, he whispered--

  "Bob!"

  "Hullo!"

  "Will you do something for me before you come!"

  "Yes, if I can. But I say, don't you forget to bring a big bundle ofyour clothes and things, and if you don't want 'em all, I can wear someof 'em."

  Dexter was silent.

  "And as much money as you can; and, I say, the old un never give you awatch, did he?"

  "No."

  "You wouldn't like to borrow his, would you!"

  "No, of course not," said Dexter indignantly.

  "Oh, I don't want you to, unless you like. Only watches is useful atsea. Sailors find out where they are by their watches. I don't quiteknow how, but we could soon find out. Whatcher want me to do!"

  "I want you to take a little parcel to Sir James Danby's."

  "I ain't going to carry no parcels," said Bob importantly.

  "It's only a very little one, as big as your hand. You know theletter-box in Sir James's big door!"

  "I should just think I do," said Bob, with a hoarse laugh. "Me and twomore boys put a lighted cracker in last fift' o' November."

  "I want you to go there last thing," said Dexter, as he could not helpwondering whether the cracker made a great deal of noise in theletter-box; "and to drop the packet in just as if it was a letter. Imean just before you come."

  "But what for?"

  "Because it must be taken there. I want it taken."

  "O very well. Where is it?"

  "Here," said Dexter, taking out his carefully tied and sealed packet.

  "Chuck it across."

  "Get up, then, and be ready to catch it."

  "All right! Now then, shy away."

  Dexter drew back from the river, and aiming carefully at where he couldsee Bob's dim figure, he measured the distance with his eye, and threw.

  _Slap_!

  "Got it!" cried Bob. And then, "Oh!"

  There was a splash.

  "Just kitched on the top o' my finger, and bounced off," whispered theboy excitedly.

  "O Bob, what have you done!"

  "Well, I couldn't help it. I ain't a howl.--How could I see in thedark!"

  "Can't you see where it fell in!"

  "Why, ain't I a-trying. Don't be in such a fuss."

  Dexter felt as if their expedition was at an end, and he stood listeningwith a breast full of despair as Bob lay down at the edge of the river,and rolling up his sleeve began feeling about in the shallow water.

  "It's no good," he said. "It's gone."

  "O Bob!"

  "Well, what's the good of `O Bobbing' a fellow? I couldn't help it.It's gone, and--Here: I got it!"

  Bob rose up and gave his arm a whirl to drive off some of the moisture.

  "It's all right," he said. "I'll wrap it in my hankychy, and it'll soondry in my pocket, I say, what's inside?"

  "Something for Sir James."

  "Oh! S'pose you don't know!"

  "Is the paper undone?" said Dexter anxiously.

  "No, it's all right, I tell yer, and it'll soon get dry."

  "And you'll be sure and take it to Sir James's."

  "Now?"

  "No, no, last thing to-night, just before you come, and don't ring, onlydrop the thing in the letter-box."

  "All right. Didn't I get my arm wet! There, I'm going home to get itdry, and put the rest of my things ready. Mind you bring yours allright."

  Dexter did not answer, but his companion's words made him feel verylow-spirited, for he had a good deal in his mind, and he stood listeningto Bob, as that young worthy went off, whistling softly, to make hisfinal preparations for the journey down the river to sea, and then toforeign lands, and the attempt seemed now to begin growing very rapidly,till it was like a dense dark cloud rising higher and higher, andsomething seemed to keep asking the boy whether he was doing right.

  He felt that he was not, but, at the same time, the idea that he wasthoroughly misunderstood, and that he would never be happy at thedoctor's, came back as strongly as ever.

  "They all look upon me as a workhouse boy," he muttered, "and Bob'sright. I'd better go away."