Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 12, 2025
"No," I said stoutly, "it won't make any difference; you and I are not going to fall out, so why should we worry about it? I say, look at Bob Chowne!" Bigley turned, and there he was once more seated upon his box, right up on the big knot of the cord, just as if he liked to make himself uncomfortable.
I was about to answer, but his eyes closed and he fainted dead away. "Poor lad!" said the doctor kindly. "Why, he was as brave as a lion. I talked nonsense to keep up his spirits and make him indignant while I hurt him in that cruel way. Poor lad! Poor lad!" "Doctor Chowne," I cried with the tears in my eyes, "I felt just now as if I hated you!"
Binnacle Bill did not go away any more, for he was at once installed boatman, and bound to have boat, tackle, and baits ready every time Bigley and I felt disposed to have an hour or two's fishing in the evening. If Bob Chowne came down his work grew harder, for Bob was as fond of fishing as ever.
"Here, you young doctor, take that pannikin, and bale out some of that water you're lying in. You don't want another bath, do you?" Bob Chowne got up on to his knees in the bottom of the boat, shivering and blue, and stared wildly at us all in turn. "Cold, eh?" growled old Jonas. "Well, then, I'll bale, and you two row to the lugger."
As I say, the doctor and my father were very great friends, such great friends that when one day my father felt himself to be dangerously ill, and sent over in great haste for Doctor Chowne, that gentleman galloped over and examined him carefully, and then began to bully him and call him names.
"No, sir," said Bob Chowne; "it was round on the other side of this heap." He pointed to a mass of rock lying right in the centre of the embayment, a heap which cut off our view on one side. "I suppose you must be right, Chowne," said my father; "come along." "I feel sure it was here, father," I said; "just out here." "No it wasn't," cried Bob pettishly.
I could not help feeling pleased, for this was the officer's sword which had come down with the others; and as I buckled on the lion-headed belt I had hard work to keep from glancing at Bob Chowne, who, I knew, would feel disgusted.
Bob Chowne stood with his forehead all wrinkled up watching me for a few minutes, and then he began to undress slowly; but a wave came and rose right up to our knees as it swept in, telling us plainly enough that before many minutes had passed we should be unable to stand there, and in frantic haste we tore off our garments, and followed Bigley's lead in tying them together in a bundle, in the faint hope of being able to take them in our teeth and carry them ashore.
My father was very silent as we walked swiftly back home, where he locked up the specimens we had obtained, and then after a few minutes' thought he signed to me to follow him and started for Ripplemouth. About half-way there we met Doctor Chowne on his grey pony with Bob walking beside him, and directly after the doctor and my father were deep in conversation, leaving us boys together.
It was hard work, and something seemed to keep prompting me to shout the bad news, but somehow I mastered it, and instead of swimming faster made myself take my strokes more slowly, so as to save my breath. Bigley told me afterwards, and so did Bob Chowne, that they felt just the same, and would not shout for fear of frightening me, swimming steadily on, though where we did not know.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking