United States or Eritrea ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
At Wrykyn he had always charged in at the beginning of term at the boys' entrance, but this formal reporting of himself at Sedleigh suited his mood. He inquired for Mr. Outwood, and was shown into a room lined with books. Presently the door opened, and the house-master appeared. There was something pleasant and homely about Mr. Outwood. In appearance he reminded Mike of Smee in "Peter Pan."
"It certainly appears, sir," said Psmith sympathetically, "to be free from paint. There's a sort of reddish glow just there, if you look at it sideways," he added helpfully. "Did you place that boot there, Smith?" "I must have done. Then, when I lost the key " "Are you satisfied now, Downing?" interrupted Mr. Outwood with asperity, "or is there any more furniture you wish to break?"
Outwood evidently looked upon them as among the very faithful, and kept them by his side. Mike on these occasions was silent and jumpy, his brow "sicklied o'er with the pale cast of care." But Psmith followed his leader with the pleased and indulgent air of a father whose infant son is showing him round the garden.
We must see to this at once; if they put us in different rooms we're done we shall be destroyed singly in the watches of the night." "We'd better nip down to the matron right off." "Not the matron Comrade Outwood is the man. We are as sons to him; there is nothing he can deny us. I'm afraid we are quite spoiling his afternoon by these interruptions, but we must rout him out once more."
It was Psmith's guiding rule in life never to be surprised at anything, so he merely inclined his head gracefully, and said nothing. "I should be glad if you would fetch the keys and show me where the rooms are." "With acute pleasure, sir," said Psmith. "Or shall I fetch Mr. Outwood, sir?" "Do as I tell you Smith," snapped Mr. Downing. Psmith said no more, but went down to the matron's room.
We will go to Comrade Outwood and stake out another claim." Mr. Outwood received them even more beamingly than before. "Yes, Smith?" he said. "We must apologize for disturbing you, sir " "Not at all, Smith, not at all! I like the boys in my house to come to me when they wish for my advice or help."
Outwood received them with the motherly warmth which was evidently the leading characteristic of his normal manner. "Ah, Spiller," he said. "And Smith, and Jackson. I am glad to see you have already made friends." "Spiller's, sir," said Psmith, laying a hand patronizingly on the study-claimer's shoulder a proceeding violently resented by Spiller "is a character one cannot help but respect.
Having restored the basket to its proper place, accordingly, he went up to the study again, and placed the red-toed boot in the chimney, at about the same height where Mr. Downing had found the other. Nobody would think of looking there a second time, and it was improbable that Mr. Outwood really would have the chimneys swept, as he had said. The odds were that he had forgotten about it already.
From what I saw of Comrade Outwood during our brief interview, I shouldn't think he was one of the lynx-eyed contingent. With tact we ought to be able to slip away from the merry throng of fossil chasers, and do a bit on our own account." "Good idea," said Mike. "We will. A chap at Wrykyn, called Wyatt, used to break out at night and shoot at cats with an air pistol."
The rest of the opposing forces were distributed among other and more distant rooms. It was probable, therefore, that Dormitory One would be the rendezvous. As to the time when an attack might be expected, it was unlikely that it would occur before half past eleven. Mr. Outwood went the round of the dormitories at eleven.
Word Of The Day