More William

He

n that morning that there was a certain monotonous sameness about life. One got up, and had one's breakfast, and went to school, and had one's dinner, and went to school, and had one's tea, and played

began to listen to hi

ine," his mother was saying. "

se isn't ready, is it?" said William's grown-up sister

term holiday," sighed Mrs. Brown.

k on life bright

' this morning?" he

ot to hinder t

ndignantly. "I'

en I shan't be here. Your assistance, William, always seems to

ely. Sarcasm was alw

the table, "I'd better go a

e steps of the front door were covered with small ornaments. As she stood staring William appeared from the drawing-room

M!" she

ht down. If I put everything on the steps they don't need come into t

ace them. Over the fragments of a bl

oken anything bu

t broken removin'. You said so yourself! I didn't

nt the remo

and harassed-looking, and a third wore a sheepish smile and walked with

," said Mrs. Brown. "Will you pack the c

illiam. William carried the things t

vertently left on the hearth-rug. His progress was further delayed while he cons

d 'is is Mister Johnson,

ones? The one t

cream jug slipped from Mr. Blake's fingers and lay in innu

ng anew to his task,

" persisted William.

wink. "'E 'urt 'em at t

ish smile broade

cally. "You lie down on the sofa an' rest

s grew h

g gent's all roight, 'e is. You lie do

ed himself at length upon the chesterfield and cl

ll show you my dog when your legs

Mr. Blake, resting from his

d William honestly, "but he's a jolly f

ure. "I'll show you my dog when

e a look at 'im.

preciative audience of two (Mr. Jones had already succumbed to the drowsiness that

hind legs, he leapt over William's arm. He leapt into the very centre of an old Venetian glass that was on the

ace and hastened to gather the pieces and fl

soothingly. "She said th

umble was still performing, and Messrs. Blake and Johnson were standing in neglig

g, "but 'e's orl roight. I'd loik to

and carried it over to the packing case, where he appeared sudde

fell upon Mr. Jo

er--" s

uiously. "'E'll be orl roight when 'e's slep' it o

William. "He hurt his legs at

a practice she had acquired in her youth for use in times w

oke with unusu

his muddy boots o

oke from sleep, hypnotised

ly by exposure to the early morning sun. He felt much better after his faint. He regretted having fainted

Brown. "We shall never get finished. William

righteous indignatio

of the staircase with it in transit. Mrs. Brown, with a paling face, saw her beloved antique cabinet dismembered against the doorpost, and watched her favour

eaking my heart,"

said Ethel, gloom

few minutes ago. I don't know where

ce out of the doorpost, the second made a dint two inches deep in the piano, the third knocked over the grandfather clock, which fel

n and covered her

dreadful nightma

es paused to wipe the sweat of

be got out," said M

d Mrs. Brown. "If it

Blake with the air of a hero leadin

leaving in its wake only a dislocated door handle and a torn chair c

failed. For ten minutes they tried alone and failed. Between each attempt they paused to mop thei

l all gave their assistance, and at last, with

y against the nearest supp

oachfully at the mistress of the hou

eard in the recesses of the van, behind

u've gone blockin' up the

tricken silence. The

d you go

came again with a n

have some rest, mustn't I? I'

ou see we were pu

presence

't. I wasn

"We can't move everything again. You must just stop there t

voice that answered, "I want to

aterial, of the smashing of glass and of William's voice softly

no again," said Mrs. Brown wan

deboard and hat-stand were moved to one side, and finally there emerged from the struggle-William and Jumble. Jumble's coat was covered with li

from shoulder to hem. He l

How d'you expect me to breathe, shut in with ole bits of furniture. Folk

his audience of speec

ity he walked past them into

lace the piano. As they were making the f

their efforts, but they succeeded in spite of it. William, however, was under the impr

nfided to Mr. Blake. "I'm

r. Jones, who said he would go down the road for a drink of lemonade. William said that there was lemonade in the larder and offere

meal in the library. William followed his

to lunch!" ca

her," pleaded Ethel. "Let

d not absent h

rchief," he demanded

as no r

ed in the

kerchief. Have you gotter

, d

you

N

need you? I'm only askin' for a red handkerchief. I don't w

away and sh

house and garden for the next half-hour. Th

mething to eat, dear.

clined against another tree, also consuming bread and cheese, while a red handkerchief covered his knees. William leant against a third tree consuming a little heap of scraps collected from the larder

liam's red handkerchief with dawning ho

. Oh, mother, do do something to William! He's taken my new silk scarf-the

cify her. William handed the silk

ld I know it wasn't a red handkerchief? I've given it her back. It's all right, Jumble's only bit one e

itterly. "Me givin' up my half holiday to help

w house with the first van. He'll be less in the way th

house there was a fresh set of men to unload the van,

ers bore testimony to the testing to their last day, in spite of many applications of turpentine. Jumble also tested it, and had in fact to be disconnected with the fron

use staggering under the weight of a medicine cupboard, and leaving a trail of broken bottles and

airs was locked, and this fact (added to Mr. Jones' failure to ret

open," sug

ter

insoide," suggest

ne of his bri

mportantly. "I'll climb up to the roof an' get

the proposal

not kno

rs. Brown and Ethel and th

ing to examine the part of Jumble's coat that

at dog!"

like cry, apparent

the

to the skies. There seemed to be nothing

ping of the roof. It was a face that was very frightened, u

down," it s

's heart s

William," she said

a neighbouring garden and found to be too short. Another was fetched a

here for ever,"

end Mr. Blake and brought down to

but I tried 'em all an' they were all too little, an' I tried to get down by the ivy again but I couldn't, so I waited till you came an' hollered out. I wasn't scared," he said, fixing them with

ded to retire to bed at a sli

, "I'm a bit tired w

gone Mr. Brown a

gone to-day?" said

oes to school to-morrow

ing himself in the glass-torn jersey,

gh of satisfaction, "I guess I