Page:The romance of Runnibede (IA romanceofrunnibe00rudd).pdf/52

astride his neck. We double-banked him for a change, one day; and putting him at two big logs not more than twenty yards from each other, he took the second before we had regained our balance after negotiating the first, and jumped both of us from the saddle on to our heads. Mother and the old Governor, I remember, sat up all night treating Ted for a touch of the sun." How far astray they were in their diagnosis, they, of course, never knew-but just as far as the sun was from the ground.

But about the Governor; he had his arm in the reins, leading Hyperion from the stable, and was pencilling some memoranda in a notebook, when, school came out for lunch.

"Well, Miss Rumble?" he smiled, "how are these young savages getting along?" Zulu and Tar-pot he referred to. "Are they making much progress in mathematics or at speaking English?"

"At speaking English they are, Mr. Winchester," the governess laughed, "but I don't know who's teaching it all to them–I'm sure I'm not."

This little rascal here, I suppose?" And the Governor squeezed Dorothy's sharp little nose with his finger and thumb, as she pressed her rosy cheek against Hyperion's shoulder.

"No, indeed it's not, for what they know is far too advanced for Dorothy."

The Governor eyed the two little darkies.

"What can you fellows say in English?" Not understanding, Zulu and Tar-pot merely looked pleasant and scratched holes in the sand with their bare toes.