Page:The golden age.djvu/273

'EXIT TYRANNUS' point). 'Don't touch the gunpowder till you're told, or you'll get your head smacked.'

Harold fell behind, limp, squashed, obedient. 'She wants me to write to her,' he began presently. 'Says she doesn't mind the spelling, if I'll only write. Fancy her saying that!'

'O, shut up, will you?' said Edward savagely; and once more we were silent, with only our thoughts for sorry company.

'Let's go off to the copse,' I suggested timidly, feeling that something had to be done to relieve the tension, 'and cut more new bows and arrows.'

'She gave me a knife my last birthday,' said Edward moodily, never budging. 'It wasn't much of a knife—but I wish I hadn't lost it!'

'When my legs used to ache,' I said, 'she feat up half the night, rubbing stuff on them. I forgot all about that till this morning.'

'There's the fly!' cried Harold suddenly. 'I can hear it scrunching on the gravel.'

Then for the first time we turned and stared each other in the face.

199