Glyn Severns Schooldays | Page 5

English are a wonderful people. My father used to have tigers--
three of them--a tiger, a tigress, and a nearly full-grown cub. But they
were so fierce he got tired of keeping them, and when the tigress killed
one of the keepers, you remember, he asked your father about it, and
they settled that it would be best to kill them."
"Of course, I remember," said Glyn; "and they had a tiger-hunt, and let
one out at a time, and had beaters to drive them out of the nullahs, and
shot all three."
"Yes," said Singh thoughtfully; "and my father wouldn't let me go with
him on his elephant, because he said it wouldn't be safe. Then these
will all be tame tigers and lions? Well, I shall like to see them all the
same, because it will make me feel like being at home once more. I say,
when is your father coming down again?"
"Don't know," said Glyn quietly. "I did ask in my last weekly letter."
"Ah!" said the Indian boy with a sigh, "I wish I were you."
"Well, let's change," said Glyn laughing. "You envy me! Why, I ought
to envy you."
"Why?" said Singh, staring.
"Why, because you are a maharajah, a prince; and when you grow old
enough you are going back to Dour to rule over your subjects and be
one of the biggest pots in Southern India."
"Well, what of that?" said Singh quietly. "What good will that do me?
But of course the Colonel will come too."
"Ah, that remains to be seen," said Glyn. "That'll be years to come, and
who knows what will happen before then?"
"I don't care what happens," cried Singh hotly. "He's coming back to
India when I go. Why, he told me himself that my father made him my
guardian, and that he promised to look after me as long as he lived. He

said he promised to be a father to me. It was that day when I got into a
passion about something, and made him so cross. But I was very sorry
afterwards," said the boy quietly, "he's such a good old fellow, and
made me like him as much as I did my own father."
"Well," said Glyn merrily, "you have always had your share of him. It
has made me feel quite jealous sometimes."
"Jealous! Why?" said Singh wonderingly.
"Because he seemed to like you better than he did me."
"What a shame!" cried Singh. "Oh, I say, you don't mean that, do you,
Glyn, old chap? Why, you don't know how fond he is of you."
"Don't I?"
"No; you should hear what he says about you sometimes."
"Says about me? What does he say about me?"
"Oh, perhaps I oughtn't to tell you," said Singh, showing his white
teeth.
"Yes, do, there's a good fellow," cried Glyn, catching the other by the
arm.
"Well, he said he should be proud to see me grow up such a boy as you
are, and that my father wished me to take you for an example, for he
wanted me to become thoroughly English--oh, and a lot more like that."
Glyn Severn was silent, and soon after, as the two boys turned, they
saw a group of their schoolfellows coming down the field laden with
bats and stumps, while one carried a couple of iron-shod stakes round
which was rolled a stout piece of netting.
"Here," said Glyn suddenly, "let's go round the other side of the field.
Old Slegge's along with them, and he'll be getting up a quarrel again. I
don't want to fight; but if he keeps on aggravating like he did this

morning I suppose I shall have to."
"But if we go now," said Singh, "it will look as if we are frightened.
We seemed to run away before, only you made me come."
"Oh, it doesn't matter what seems," cried Severn irritably. "We know
we are not frightened, and that's enough. Come on."
The two boys began to move slowly away; but they had not gone far
before Slegge shouted after them, "Hi, you, sirs! I want you to come
and field."
"Then want will be your master," said Severn between his
teeth.--"Come on, Singh. Don't look round. Let's pretend we can't
hear."
They walked steadily on for a few paces, Severn making-believe to be
talking earnestly to his companion, when:
"Do you hear, there, you, sirs? Come here directly. I want you to field!"
"I dare say you do; cheeky great bully!" said Glyn softly. "I shan't come
and field for you. The Doctor did not give us a holiday to-day to come
and be your slaves."
"Hi, there! Are you coming, or am I to come and fetch you?" shouted
Slegge, without any effect,