The Ocean Cats Paw | Page 6

with the
most intense enjoyment. "One doesn't want any other pickle with these.
What does the old proverb say--Hunger's sweet sauce. Hullo! what are

you getting up for?"
"Oh, I am going on eating, uncle," replied the boy. "I was only going to
walk to the end and see how far the soldiers had gone."
"Hang the soldiers, sir!" cried the elder irascibly. "I wish they'd keep in
their barracks instead of coming hunting their prisoners all over this
beautiful countryside. Sit down and go on eating."
The boy resumed his place, and began making half-moons in the edge
of his sandwich and trying to munch hard; but somehow his appetite
was gone, and before he was half through the second sandwich he
watched his opportunity, slipped it into his pocket, and as his uncle
turned round to look at him he leaned forward and helped himself to a
third from the wallet.
"Ah, that's better! Eat away, boy. We have got a long walk back, and
you will have plenty of appetite for a good high tea. Hang the prisoners
as well as the soldiers. If I had known that this great cage full of Bony's
French frogs was up here I don't believe I should have come--that is,
unless I thought that Nap himself was a prisoner here too, when I might
have been tempted to come and have a grin at the wild beast in his cage.
Eh, what? What did you do that for?"
He looked curiously at his nephew, who, after a glance across the pool,
had involuntarily stretched out one hand to grip his elder's arm.
"Do you hear me, sir?" he cried sharply. "Why did you pinch my arm
like that?"
The boy, whose face had looked rather white the moment before,
flushed scarlet, and stammered out something confused and strange.
"Why, hullo, boy!" cried his uncle sharply, and he leaned forward in
turn and caught the lad by the wrist. "Why, what's the matter with you?
Haven't been overdoing it in the sun, have you? Here, take my cup and
have a glass of water."

"No, no, uncle; I am quite right. There's nothing the matter with me.
It's--it's--it's--"
"It's what?" said Uncle Paul sharply, as he gazed full in the boy's eyes
and held tightly by his wrist. "Well, it's what?"
"Perhaps I am a bit tired, uncle. I have been working very hard, and I
turned faint and hungry a little while ago."
"Humph!" grunted Uncle Paul. "Then do as I tell you. Drink a cup of
that clear cold water."
"That's better," he continued, a few minutes later. "Now eat another
sandwich. No nonsense, sir! Do as I tell you!"
The boy sighed and helped himself to another of the double slices and
their contents, and for the next few minutes no word was spoken, the
pair sitting opposite to one another and munching or ruminating
steadily away, the younger feeling as if every mouthful of which he
partook would choke him.
"Hah!" said Uncle Paul, at last; "it is a drawback to this beautiful place.
The colours of the heath are glorious, and the views from up here are
grand. I got some good specimens too, ready for our microscopic work
to-night; and that was a nice trout you caught. How many did you get,
boy?"
"Only one, uncle," said the boy vacantly.
"What!"
"I didn't see the other, uncle."
Uncle Paul drew a deep breath and fixed the boy with his eyes, as he
said quietly--
"I asked you how many trout you got, Pickle."
"Oh, about fifty, uncle. Creel's half full."

"Ah! Then we will have some for high tea to-night, and some for
breakfast in the morning, and give our landlady the rest. Nice woman
that; full of stories about the prisoners, and Bony and his wretched
scum. Ugh! The very name of the rascal raises my bile, and--There, I
think I had better take you home and give you a dose."
"Yes, let's go on back now, uncle," said the boy eagerly, "but indeed,
indeed I don't want a dose."
"Humph! Then pray why did you grip hold of my arm again like that,
and stare across yonder over my shoulder as if you could see a raven
hiding in one of the holes?"
"Oh no, uncle," cried the boy, with a forced laugh. "I couldn't see
anything."
"Ha, ha!" ejaculated Uncle Paul. "Now, look here, Pickle; you and I
have always had a sort of tacit agreement that we'd play fair together,
and that there should be a mutual confidence."
"Yes, uncle, of course," cried the boy, whose face was burning.
"Very well, then, you are breaking truce. You are not playing the game,
sir."
"Uncle!"
"Pickle! Now then, sir, out with it. You have seen