Five Little Peppers Abroad | Page 6

said brokenly, and down went his head again, this time
upon his hands, which were grasping the top of the chair.
"I don't believe you did," answered Jasper. "But come, Tom, let's walk
around the deck; we can talk just as well meanwhile."
Two or three young men, with cigarettes in their mouths, came
sauntering up. "Tom Selwyn, you're a pretty fellow--"
Tom raised his head and looked at them defiantly.
"To give us the slip like this," cried one, with a sneer, in which the
others joined, with a curious look at Jasper.
"Well, come on now," said one. "Yes--yes--come along," said another;
"we've waited long enough for you to get back."
"I'm not coming," declared Tom, shortly.
"Not coming back? Well--" One of the young men said something
under his breath, and the first speaker turned on his heel, tossing his
cigarette over the railing.
"No," said Tom, "I'm not coming. Did you hear me?"
"I believe I had that pleasure," said the last named, "as I am not deaf.
Come on, fellows; our little boy has got to wait on his Grandpappy.
Good-by, kid!" He snapped his fingers; the other two laughed
derisively, and sauntered off down the deck as they came.
Tom shook with passion. "I'd like to walk," he said, drawing a long
breath, and setting off unsteadily.
"All right," said Jasper, falling into step beside him.
Meantime the old gentleman, in his large handsome state-room,
showed no sign of returning to the consciousness that had come back

for a brief moment. And he held to Polly's hand so tightly, as she sat at
the head of the berth, that there was no chance of withdrawing her
fingers had she so desired. And Father Fisher with whom Dr. Jones had
of course made acquaintance, before the steamer fairly sailed, sat there
keeping watch too, in a professional way, the ship's doctor having
called him in consultation over the case. And Phronsie, who had been
in deep penitence because she had wandered off from the library with
another little girl, to gaze over the railing upon the steerage children
below, thereby missing Polly, was in such woe over it all that she was
allowed to cuddle up against Polly's side and hold her other hand. And
there she sat as still as a mouse, hardly daring to breathe. And Mr. King,
feeling as if, after all, the case was pretty much under his supervision,
came softly in at intervals to see that all was well, and that the dreadful
boy was kept out.
And the passengers all drifted back to their steamer chairs, glad of
some new topic to discuss, for the gossip they had brought on board
was threadbare now, as they were two days at sea. And the steamer
sailed over the blue water that softly lapped the stout vessel's side,
careless of the battle that had been waged for a life, even then holding
by slender threads. And Fanny Vanderburgh, whose grandfather was a
contemporary in the old business days in New York with Mr. King, and
who sat with her mother at the next table to the King party, spent most
of her time running to Mrs. Pepper's state-room, or interviewing any
one who would be able to give her the slightest encouragement as to
when she could claim Polly Pepper.
"O dear me!" Fanny cried, on one such occasion, when she happened to
run across Jasper. "I've been down to No. 45 four times this morning,
and there's nobody there but that stupid Matilda, and she doesn't know
or won't tell when Polly will get through reading to that tiresome old
man. And they won't let me go to his state-room. Mrs. Fisher and your
father are there, too, or I'd get them to make Polly come out on deck.
We all want her for a game of shuffle-board."
Jasper sighed. So did he long for a game of shuffle-board. Then he
brought himself up, and said as brightly as he could: "Mr. Selwyn begs
Polly to stay, and won't have any one else read to him, Miss
Vanderburgh, so I don't see as it can be helped. He's been very sick,
you know."

Fanny Vanderburgh beat the toe of her boot on the deck floor. "It's a
perfect shame. And that horrible old man, he's so seedy and common
--just think of it--and spoiling all our fun!"
Jasper looked off over the sea, and said nothing.
"As for that dreadful boy, his grandson, I think he's a boor. Goodness
me--I hope nobody will introduce him. I'm sure I never'll recognise him
afterward."
Jasper turned uneasily. "Please, Mr. King, do make Polly listen to
reason," begged Fanny. "There isn't another girl on board I care to go
with--at least not in the way