Three Boys; Or, The Chiefs of the Clan Mackhai

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

  AN UNCOMFORTABLE BREAKFAST.

  That same night Max fell fast asleep as soon as he was in bed, for neverin his career had he used his muscles so much in one day.

  His rest was dreamless, but he awoke as the turret clock struck six, andlay thinking.

  It was a glorious morning, for his window was illumined by the sunshine,and he felt warm and comfortable, but all the same he shivered.

  For a troublesome thought had come to him, and he lay quite sleeplessnow, listening for Kenneth's step, feeling quite certain that beforemany minutes had passed the lad would be hammering at his door, andsummoning him to come down and bathe.

  He shuddered at the idea, for the thought of what he had passedthrough--the climb down to the cavern with its crystal cold water, theweed-hung rocks, and the plunge, and the way in which he had been givenhis first lesson in swimming--brought out the perspiration in a cold dewupon his brow.

  "I will not go again," he said to himself. "One ought to be half a fishto live in a place like this."

  The banging of a door and footsteps were heard.

  "Here he comes!" muttered Max, and by an involuntary action he caughthold of the bedclothes and drew them tightly up to his chin.

  No Kenneth.

  The sun shone brightly, and he could picture the dazzling sheen of thewaves as they rippled and flashed. He could picture, too, thegolden-brown seaweed and the creamy-drab barnacles on the rocks whichhad felt so rough and strange to his bare feet.

  Then a reaction set in. It was so cowardly to refuse to go, and Kennethand Scood would laugh at him, while to his sensitive nature the jeeringwould be more painful than the venturing into the water.

  "But," he argued to himself, "there is no danger in being laughed at,and, on the other hand, they might get me out--they are so reckless--anddrown me."

  He shuddered, and then he felt ashamed. He wanted to be as brave as theother lads, and he felt that he must seem to them a miserable coward.

  "I'm down here, and with the chance of learning all these out-doorsports, and I shall try. I will not be so cowardly, and when Kennethcomes I'll go down and bathe, and try to master all this horrid fright."

  As soon as he had bravely come to this determination he felt better,though all of a tremor the while, and his agitation increased as fromtime to time he heard a sound which his excited imagination told him wasthe coming of Kenneth.

  But he did not spring out of bed and begin to dress, so as to be readywhen Kenneth came, but lay feeling now uncomfortably hot as he recalledhis previous experience in the water, and his terrible--as he termedit--adventure over the fishing, and his being hooked out by Tavish, butall the time he could not help a half suspicion taking root, that, hadhe been a quick, active lad, accustomed to such things, he would nothave been swept off the rock, and, even if he had been, he would havestruggled to some shallow place and recovered himself.

  "I will try!" he said aloud. "I'll show him that if I am a coward, I amgoing to master it, and then perhaps they will not tease me and laugh atme so much."

  Kenneth did not come, and, in spite of his determination, the boy couldnot help feeling relieved, as he lay thinking of what a long time itseemed since he came down there, and what adventures he had gonethrough.

  Then there were footsteps, and a bang outside the door.

  Kenneth at last!

  No; the steps were not like his, and they were going away. It was someone who had brought his boots.

  Max lay and thought again about the people he had met,--about TheMackhai, and his haughty, distant manner. He did not seem to like hisvisitor, and yet he was very polite.

  "Perhaps he doesn't like my father," thought Max sadly. "Perhaps--"

  Perhaps it was being more at ease after his determination to master hiscowardice:

  Perhaps it was from the feeling of relief at the non-appearance ofKenneth:

  Perhaps it was from having undergone so much exertion on the previousday:

  Perhaps it was from the bed being so warm and comfortable:

  Be all this as it may, Max Blande, instead of getting up, dropped offfast asleep.

  "Max! I say, Max, do you know what time it is?"

  Max started up in bed, and had hard work to collect his thoughts, as hisname was called again, and there was a loud knocking at the door.

  "Yes, yes; coming!" cried the boy, leaping out of bed, and hurrying onhis dressing-gown.

  "Open the door."

  "Yes; I'm coming!"

  Max opened the door, and Kenneth rushed in.

  "Come, old lazy-bones!" he cried; "look sharp! It's a quarter to nine,and the dad will look dirks and daggers if we keep him waiting."

  "I--I'm very sorry," said Max. "I--I dropped off to sleep again. Ithought you would come and call me to bathe."

  "What was the use? See what a fuss you made yesterday!"

  "But I meant to come."

  "Well, don't talk, old chap. Look sharp, and dress."

  "Yes; but are you going to stay?"

  "Of course, to help you."

  Max felt disposed to rebel, and thought it objectionable.

  Kenneth saw his looks, and spoke out.

  "Look here!" he said; "I'll wait for you in the passage, and look out ofthe window."

  "Oh, thank you!" cried Max, and the next moment he was alone.

  In a few minutes Max's bell rang.

  Kenneth went off on tip-toe, and met Grant, who was coming up-stairslooking rather sulky.

  Kenneth said something to the butler, who nodded and went down again,while Kenneth went softly back grinning, and stood looking out of thepassage window, giving one leg a kick of delight as he heard Max's bellring again.

  Then there was a pause, and at last the bell rang once more.

  "Ten minutes to nine," said Kenneth to himself, with a look ofsuppressed glee.

  Then Max's door opened.

  "Ready?" cried Kenneth.

  "No. I'm very sorry, but I've rung three times, and no one has come."

  "P'r'aps Grant is busy with father. What do you want--hot water?"

  "No," said Max. "The fact is, I got two pairs of trousers very wetyesterday, and I sent them down to be dried. They haven't been broughtup."

  "Oh, is that all?" cried Kenneth. "I'll run and fetch them."

  "Oh, thank you!"

  Kenneth ran off, and came back at the end of a few minutes, but withoutthe trousers.

  "Thank you," said Max hastily. "I'm ashamed to have let--Why, youhaven't got them!"

  "No," said Kenneth. "Are you sure you sent them down? Grant says hehasn't seen them."

  "I gave them to one of the maids."

  "It's very strange. No one has seen them. Never mind. Jump intoanother pair. The guv'nor will be furious if you are late."

  "But I've lost the key of my portmanteau, and I can't put on black thismorning."

  "Oh no, that would never do!" cried Kenneth. "Pop on yourknickerbockers."

  "I haven't any."

  "No knicks! Oh, I say! what will you do? That blessed gong will begoing directly."

  "Yes. Shall I put on my dress things?"

  "No, no, no! You'd make the pater laugh horribly. Here, I tell youwhat! you and I are about the same size--shall I lend you some of myduds?"

  "Oh, if you would!" cried Max.

  "All right!"

  Kenneth dashed off to his own room, and came back in a minute.

  "Here you are!" he cried. "Slip on those socks."

  "But I've got socks."

  "But they won't do. On with these."

  "But--"

  "On with them. The gong will go directly."

  Horribly scared at the idea of keeping The Mackhai waiting again, Maxobeyed, hardly knowing what he did, and then he made a protest asKenneth held out a garment for him to put on next.

  "Oh," he exclaimed, "I couldn't put on that!"

  "But you must. You haven't a moment to spare; and it's my
best one."

  Max shrank, and then yielded, for all at once boom! boom! boom! soundedthe gong; and, half frantic with haste and his want of moral courage,the poor boy submitted to the domination of his tormentor, with theresult that, five minutes after the gong had ceased, and stillhesitating as to whether he had not better stay away, Max followedKenneth down-stairs, that young gentleman having preceded him twominutes.

  "The Mackhai is beginning breakfast, sir," said Grant, as Max came down;and he drew back with a tray full of hot viands, his sour, stony facerelaxing into a grin as the shrinking figure of the young guest passedhim.

  "Good morning, Mr Blande!" said The Mackhai sternly; and then hissevere face underwent a change. He was about to burst out laughing, buthe bit his lip, frowned, and then in a changed tone of voice said,"Thank you for the compliment, Mr Blande."

  "It--it was not meant for a compliment, sir," faltered Max.

  "Indeed! I thought you had donned our tartan out of compliment to yourhost."

  "It is an accident, sir," stammered Max, with his face scarlet. "I havelost my clothes, and Kenneth has been kind enough to lend me a suit."

  "Oh, I see!" said The Mackhai, as the dogs, which for a treat had beenadmitted, came sniffing round the shivering lad, who looked pitiablythin and miserable in the kilt, with the sporran hanging down far lowerthan it should.

  "It is a very comfortable dress," said The Mackhai, recovering himself,though, to Kenneth's delight and Max's misery, he could not repress asmile. "There, pray, sit down, the breakfast is growing cold."

  Max went to his place shrinkingly, for Bruce, the great deerhound, wasfollowing close behind him, apparently examining him thoughtfully.

  "Lie down, Bruce!" said Kenneth, and the dog dropped into a couchingattitude. "You look fizzing, Max," he said, in a low voice, as hisfather walked to the window and peered out.

  Max gave him a piteous look, and gladly seated himself, seeming glad ofthe shelter of the hanging tablecloth, for, after examining himwonderingly, Sneeshing suddenly set up his tail very stiffly and uttereda sharp bark, while Dirk shook his frill out about his neck and uttereda menacing growl, which to poor Max's ears sounded like, "You miserableimpostor, get out of those things!"

  Just then Grant entered with the portion of the breakfast kept back tillMax came down, The Mackhai seated himself, and the breakfast began.

  As at previous meals, the host was very much abstracted: when he was notpartaking of his breakfast, he was reading his letters or referring tothe newspaper, leaving the task of entertaining the guest to his son.

  "How do you feel now?" said Kenneth.

  "Not very comfortable," whispered Max. "May I ask Grant to have a goodsearch made for my things?"

  "Oh no, don't ask him now. It puts him out. You'll be all right, andforget all about them soon."

  "I--I don't think I shall," said Max, as he made a very poor breakfast.

  "Oh yes, you will. I say, if I were you, I'd write up to my tailor tosend you down two rigs-out like that. You'll find 'em splendid forshooting and fishing."

  Max shook his head.

  "Never mind. Have some of this kipper, it's--"

  "Ow!" ejaculated Max, dropping his coffee-cup on the table, so that itupset, and the brown fluid began to spread, as the lad sprang back fromthe table.

  "What's the matter?" cried The Mackhai.

  "Nothing, sir;--I--that is--that dog--"

  Kenneth was seized with a violent fit of laughing and choking, whichnecessitated his getting up from the table and being thumped on the backby Grant; while Dirk, who had been the cause of all the trouble, marchedslowly out from under the table, and stood upon the hearthrug uttering alow growl, and looking from one to the other of the boys, as if he feltthat they were insulting him.

  "Look here, Kenneth, if you cannot behave yourself at table," cried TheMackhai angrily, "you had better have your meals by yourself."

  "I--I--oh dear!--oh, oh, oh! I beg your pardon, father, I--oh, I say,Max, don't look like that, or you'll kill me!" cried Kenneth, laughingand choking more than ever.

  "I beg your pardon, sir," said Max piteously. "I'm afraid it was all myfault;" and he looked at the stained cloth.

  "There is no need for any apology, Mr Blande. Here, Grant, lay adoubled napkin over this place, and bring another cup. Pray sit down,sir."

  Max turned shrinkingly toward the table, but glanced nervously from onedog to the other, and just at that moment, Bruce, who was behind, smelthis legs.

  "Oh!" cried Max, making a rush, as he felt the touch of the dog's coldnose.

  "Here, Kenneth, I've said before that I will not have those dogs in thedining-room!" cried The Mackhai angrily. "Turn them out."

  Kenneth hastily obeyed, the dogs marching out through the French window,and then sitting down outside and looking patiently in, as dogs gaze whoare waiting for bones.

  "What was the matter, Max?" asked Kenneth, as soon as they werere-seated, and the breakfast once more in progress.

  "That dog took hold of my leg."

  "What, Sneeshing?"

  "No, no. The one you call Dirk."

  "He must have thought it was a sheep's leg."

  "Kenneth!"

  "Yes, father?"

  "Go on with your breakfast. I hope you are not hurt, Mr Blande?"

  "No, sir, not hurt, but it felt very wet and uncomfortable."

  "The dog's play," said The Mackhai quietly. "I don't think he wouldbite."

  "No, sir, I hope not," faltered Max, as he tried to go on with hisbreakfast; "but it felt as if he was going to, and it was startling."

  "Yes, of course!" said The Mackhai absently, as he took up his paper,and the breakfast went on to the end, but to Max it was anything but apleasant meal.