Angela Brazil

A Popular Schoolgirl Angela Brazil

"Ingred! Ingred, old girl! I say, Ingred! Wherever have you taken yourself off to?" shouted a boyishvoice, as its owner, jumping an obstructing gooseberry bush, tore around the corner of the housefrom the kitchen garden on to the strip of rough lawn that faced the windows. "Hullo! Cuckoo!Coo-ee! In-gred!""I'm here all the time, so you needn't bawl!" came in resigned tones from under the shade of a largefuchsia. "You're enough to wake the dead, Chumps! What is it you want now! It's too hot to go awalk till after tea. I'm trying to get ten minutes peace and quiet!"Hereward, otherwise "Chumps," put his feet together in the second position, flung out his arms inwhat was intended to be a graceful attitude, and made a mock bow worthy of the cinema stage."Have them by all means, Madam!" he replied in mincing accents. "Your humble servant has nowish to disturb your ladyship's elegant repose. He offers a thousand apologies for hisunceremonious entrance into your august presence, and implores you to condescend--Ow! Stop it, you brute!"Hereward's burst of eloquence was brought to an abrupt end by the violent onslaught of a foxterrier puppy which flung itself upon him and began to worry his ankles with delighted yelps ofappreciation."Stop it! Keep off, I tell you! I won't be chewed to ribbons!" he protested, dodging the attacks of theplayful but all too sharp teeth, and catching the little dog by the piece of tarred rope that formed itscollar. "Here, you'll get throttled in a minute if you don't mend your manners.""Give him to his auntie, bless his heart!" laughed Ingred, extending welcoming arms to the fatspecimen of puppyhood, and rolling him about on her knee. "Oh, he did make you dance! Youlooked so funny! There, precious! Don't chump auntie's fingers. Go bye-byes now. Snuggle down onauntie's dress, and--""If you've quite finished talking idiotic nonsense to that little beast," interrupted Herewardsarcastically, "you'll perhaps kindly oblige me by mentioning whether you're coming or not!""Not coming anywhere-too hot!" grunted Ingred, resettling her cushion under the fuchsia bush."Right you are! Please yourself and you'll please me! Though I should have thought the run toChatcombe--"Ingred sprang to her feet, dropping the puppy unceremoniously.