Oldal 144 [144]
I 24 LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY.
kan
He was both rising and falling rather uncomfortably and with
many shakes and bounces. He was out of breath and his face grew
red, but he held on with all his might, and sat as straight as he
could. The Earl could see that from his window. When the riders
came back within speaking distance, after they had been hidden by
the trees a few minutes, Fauntleroy’s hat was off, his cheeks were
like poppies, and his lips were set, but he was still trotting manfully.
‘Stop a minute!” said his grandfather. " Where s your hat?”
Wilkins touched his. ‘It fell off, your lordship,” he said, with
evident enjoyment. " Would nt let me stop to pick it up, my lord.”
‘Not much afraid, is he?” asked the Earl dryly.
‘Him, your lordship!” exclaimed Wilkins. "I should nt say as
he knowed what it meant. Í ve taught young gen’lemen to ride
afore, an’ I never see one stick on more determinder.”
“Tired?” said the Earl to Fauntleroy. " Want to get off?”
“Tt jolts you more than you think it will,” admitted his young
lordship frankly. "And it tires you a little, too; but I don’t want
to get off. I want to learn how. As soon as I ve got my breath I
want to go back for the hat.”
The cleverest person in the world, if he had undertaken to
teach Fauntleroy how to please the old man who watched him, could
not have taught him anything which would have succeeded better.
As the pony trotted off again toward the avenue, a faint color crept
up in the fierce old face, and the eyes, under the shaggy brows,
oleamed with a pleasure such as his lordship had scarcely expected
to know again. And he sat and watched quite eagerly until the
sound of the horses’ hoofs returned. When they did come, which
was after some time, they came at a faster pace. Fauntleroy’s hat
was still off; Wilkins was carrying it for him; his cheeks were red¬
der than before, and his hair was flying about his ears, but he came
at quite a brisk canter.