Chapter Ten A SHOCK FOR GEORGE AND TIM
NEXT morning there were lessons again - and no Timothy, under the table! George felt very muchinclined to refuse to work, but what would be the good of that? Grown-ups were so powerful, andcould dole out all kinds of punishments. She didn't care how much she was punished herself but shecouldn't bear to think that Timothy might have to share in the punishments too.
So, pale and sullen, the little girl sat down at the table with the others. Anne was eager to join in thelessons - in fact she was eager to do anything to please Mr. Roland, because he had given her thefairy doll from the top of the Christmas tree! Anne thought she was the prettiest doll she had everseen.
George had scowled at the doll when Anne showed it to her. She didn't like dolls, and she certainlywasn't going to like one that Mr. Roland had chosen, and given to Anne! But Anne loved it, and hadmade up her mind to do lessons with the others, and work as well as she could.
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George did as little as she could without getting into trouble. Mr. Roland took no interest in her or inher work. He praised the others, and took a lot of trouble to show Julian something he found difficult.
The children heard Tim whining outside as they worked. This troubled them very much, for Timothywas such a companion, and so dear to them all. They could not bear to think of him left out ofeverything, cold and miserable in the yard-kennel. When the ten minutes' break came, and Mr.
Roland went out of the room for a few minutes, Julian spoke to George.
'George! It's awful for us to hear poor old Tim whining out there in the cold. And I'm sure I heardhim cough. Let me speak to Mr. Roland about him. You must feel simply dreadful knowing that Timis out there.'
'I thought I heard him cough, too,' said George, looking worried. 'I hope he won't get a cold. Hesimply doesn't understand why I have to put him there. He thinks I'm terribly unkind.'
The little girl turned her head away, afraid that tears might come into her eyes. She always boastedthat she never cried - but it was very difficult to keep the tears away when she thought of Timothy outthere in the cold.
Dick took her arm. 'Listen, George - you just hate Mr. Roland, and I suppose you can't help it.
But we can none of us bear Timothy being out there all alone - and it looks like snow today, whichwould be awful for him. Could you be awfully, awfully good today, and forget your dislike, so thatwhen your father asks Mr. Roland for your report, he can say you were very good- and then we'll all ask Mr. Roland if he wouldn't let Timmy come back into the house.'
'See?'
Timothy coughed again, out in the yard, and George's heart went cold. Suppose he got that awfulillness called pneumonia - and she couldn't nurse him because he had to live in the kennel ? Shewould die of unhappiness! She turned to Julian and Dick.
'All right,' she said. 'I do hate Mr. Roland - but I love Timothy more than I hate the tutor - so forTim's sake I'll pretend to be good and sweet and hard-working. And then you can beg him to letTimothy come back.'
'Good girl!' said Julian. 'Now here he comes - so do your best.'
To the tutor's enormous surprise, George gave him a smile when he came into the room. This was sounexpected that it puzzled him. He was even more puzzled to find that George worked 51harder than anyone for the rest of the morning, and she answered politely and cheerfully when hespoke to her. He gave her a word of praise.
'Well done, Georgina! I can see you've got brains.'
'Thank you," said George, and gave him another smile - a very watery, poor affair, compared with thehappy smiles the others had been used to - but still, it was a smile!
At dinner-time George looked after Mr. Roland most politely - passed him the salt, offered him morebread, got up to fill his glass when it was empty! The others looked at her in admiration.
George had plenty of pluck. She must be finding it very difficult to behave as if Mr. Roland was agreat friend, when she really disliked him so much!
Mr. Roland seemed very pleased, and appeared to be quite willing to respond to George'sfriendliness. He made a little joke with her, and offered to lend her a book he had about a dog.
George's mother was delighted to find that her difficult daughter seemed to be turning over a newleaf. Altogether things were very much happier that day.
'George, you go out of the room before your father comes in to ask Mr. Roland about your behaviourtonight,' said Julian. 'Then, when the tutor gives you a splendid report, we will all ask if Timothy cancome back. It will be easier if you are not there.'
'All right,' said George. She was longing for this difficult day to be over. It was very hard for her topretend to be friendly, when she was not. She could never never do it, if it wasn't for Timothy's sake!
George disappeared out of the room just before six o'clock, when she heard her father coming.
He walked into the room and nodded to Mr. Roland.
'Well? Have your pupils worked well today?' he asked.
'Very well indeed,' said Mr. Roland. 'Julian has really mastered something he didn't understand today.
Dick has done well in Latin. Anne has written out a French exercise without a single mistake!'
'And what about George?' asked Uncle Quentin.
'I was coming to Georgina,' said Mr. Roland, looking round and seeing that she was gone. 'She hasworked better than anyone else today! I am really pleased with her. She has tried hard - and she hasreally been polite and friendly. I feel she is trying to turn over a new leaf.'
'She's been a brick today,' said Julian, warmly. 'Uncle Quentin, she has tried awfully hard, she reallyhas. And, you know, she's terribly unhappy.'
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'Why?' asked Uncle Quentin in surprise.
'Because of Timothy,' said Julian. 'He's out in the cold, you see. And he's got a dreadful cough.'
'Oh, Uncle Quentin, please do let poor Timmy come indoors,' begged Anne.
'Yes, please do,' said Dick. 'Not only for George's sake, because she loves him so, but for us too.
We hate to hear him whining outside. And George does deserve a reward, Uncle - she's beenmarvellous today.'
'Well,' said Uncle Quentin, looking doubtfully at the three eager faces before him, 'well - I hardlyknow what to say. If George is going to be sensible - and the weather gets colder - well...'
He looked at Mr. Roland, expecting to hear him say something in favour of Timothy. But the tutorsaid nothing. He looked annoyed.
'What do you think, Mr Roland?' asked Uncle Quentin.
'I think you should keep to what you said and let the dog stay outside,' said the tutor. 'George isspoilt, and needs firm handling. You should really keep to your decision about the dog. There is noreason to give way about it just because she has tried to be good for once!'
The three children stared at Mr. Roland in surprise and dismay. It had never entered their heads thathe would not back them up!
'Oh, Mr. Roland, you are horrid!' cried Anne. 'Oh, do, do say you'll have Timothy back.'
The tutor did not look at Anne. He pursed up his mouth beneath its thick moustache and lookedstraight at Uncle Quentin.
'Well,' said Uncle Quentin, 'perhaps we had better see how George behaves for a whole week.
After all - just one day isn't much.'
The children stared at him in disgust. They thought he was weak and unkind. Mr. Roland nodded hishead.
'Yes,' he said, 'a week will be a better test. If Georgina behaves well for a whole week, we'll haveanother word about the dog, sir. But at present I feel it would be better to keep him outside.'
'Very well,' said Uncle Quentin, and went out of the room. He paused to look back. 'Come along intomy study sometime,' he said. 'I've got a bit further with my formula. It's at a very interesting stage.'
The three children looked at one another but said nothing. How mean of the tutor to stop UncleQuentin from having Timothy indoors again! They all felt disappointed in him. The tutor saw theirfaces.
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'I'm sorry to disappoint you,' he said. 'But I think if you'd been bitten by Timothy once and snapped atall over when he got you on the floor, you would not be very keen on having him in either!'
He went out of the room. The children wondered what to say to George. She came in a moment later,her face eager. But when she saw the gloomy looks of the other three, she stopped short.
'Isn't Tim to come in?' she asked, quickly. 'What's happened? Tell me!'
They told her. The little girl's face grew dark and angry when she heard how the tutor had put his footdown about Timothy, even when her father had himself suggested that the dog might come indoors.
'Oh, what a beast he is!' she cried. 'How I do hate him! I'll pay him out for this. I will, I will!'
She rushed out of the room. They heard her fumbling in the hall, and then the front door banged.
'She's gone out into the dark,' said Julian. ‘I bet she's gone to Timmy. Poor old George. Now she'll beworse than ever!'
That night George could not sleep. She lay and tossed in her bed, listening for Timothy. She heardhim cough. She heard him whine. He was cold, she knew he was. She had put plenty of fresh strawinto his kennel and had turned it away from the cold north wind - but he must feel the bitter nightterribly, after sleeping for so long on her bed!
Timothy gave such a hollow cough that George could bear it no longer. She must, she simply must,get up and go down to him. 'I shall bring him into the house for a little while and rub his chest withsome of that stuff Mother uses for herself when she's got a cold on her chest,' thought the girl.
'Perhaps that will do him good.'
She quickly put a few clothes on and crept downstairs. The whole house was quiet. She slipped outinto the yard and undid Tim's chain. He was delighted to see her and licked her hands and facelovingly.
'Come along into the warm for a little while,' whispered the little girl. I’ll rub your poor chest withsome oil I've got.'
Timmy pattered behind her into the house. She took him to the kitchen - but the fire was out and theroom was cold. George went to look at the other rooms.
There was quite a nice fire still in her father's study. She and Tim went in there. She did not put onthe light, because the firelight was fairly bright. She had with her the little bottle of oil from thebathroom cupboard. She put it down by the fire to warm.
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Then she rubbed the dog's hairy chest with the oil, hoping it would do him good. 'Don't cough now ifyou can help it, Tim,' she whispered. 'If you do, someone may hear you. Lie down here by the fire,darling, and get nice and warm. Your cold will soon be better.'
Timothy lay down on the rug. He was glad to be out of his kennel and with his beloved mistress.
He put his head on her knee. She stroked him and whispered to him.
The firelight glinted on the curious instruments and glass tubes that stood around on shelves in herfather's study. A log shifted a little in the fire and settled lower, sending up a cloud of sparks.
It was warm and peaceful there.
The little girl almost fell asleep. The big dog closed his eyes too, and rested peacefully, happy andwarm. George settled down with her head on his neck.
She awoke to hear the study clock striking six! The room was cold now, and she shivered.
Goodness! Six o'clock! Joanna the cook would soon be awake. She must not find Timmy and Georgein the study!
'Tim darling! Wake up! We must put you back into your kennel,' whispered George. 'I’m sure yourcold is better, because you haven't coughed once since you've been indoors. Get up - and don't makea noise. Sh!'
Tim stood up and shook himself. He licked George's hand. He understood perfectly that he must bequite quiet. The two of them slipped out of the study, went into the hall and out of the front door.
In a minute or two Timothy was on the chain, and in his kennel, cuddled down among the straw.
George wished she could cuddle there with him. She gave him a pat and slipped back indoors again.
She went up to bed, sleepy and cold. She forgot that she was partly dressed and got into bed just asshe was. She was asleep in a moment!
In the morning Anne was most amazed to find that George had on vest, knickers, skirt and jersey,when she got out of bed to dress.
'Look!' she said. 'You're half-dressed! But I saw you undressing last night.'
'Be quiet,' said George. 'I went down and let Tim in last night. We sat in front of the study fire and Irubbed him with oil. Now don't you dare to say a word to anyone! Promise!'
Anne promised - and she faithfully kept her word. Well, well - to think that George dared to roamabout like that all night - what an extraordinary girl she was
NEXT morning there were lessons again - and no Timothy, under the table! George felt very muchinclined to refuse to work, but what would be the good of that? Grown-ups were so powerful, andcould dole out all kinds of punishments. She didn't care how much she was punished herself but shecouldn't bear to think that Timothy might have to share in the punishments too.
So, pale and sullen, the little girl sat down at the table with the others. Anne was eager to join in thelessons - in fact she was eager to do anything to please Mr. Roland, because he had given her thefairy doll from the top of the Christmas tree! Anne thought she was the prettiest doll she had everseen.
George had scowled at the doll when Anne showed it to her. She didn't like dolls, and she certainlywasn't going to like one that Mr. Roland had chosen, and given to Anne! But Anne loved it, and hadmade up her mind to do lessons with the others, and work as well as she could.
50
George did as little as she could without getting into trouble. Mr. Roland took no interest in her or inher work. He praised the others, and took a lot of trouble to show Julian something he found difficult.
The children heard Tim whining outside as they worked. This troubled them very much, for Timothywas such a companion, and so dear to them all. They could not bear to think of him left out ofeverything, cold and miserable in the yard-kennel. When the ten minutes' break came, and Mr.
Roland went out of the room for a few minutes, Julian spoke to George.
'George! It's awful for us to hear poor old Tim whining out there in the cold. And I'm sure I heardhim cough. Let me speak to Mr. Roland about him. You must feel simply dreadful knowing that Timis out there.'
'I thought I heard him cough, too,' said George, looking worried. 'I hope he won't get a cold. Hesimply doesn't understand why I have to put him there. He thinks I'm terribly unkind.'
The little girl turned her head away, afraid that tears might come into her eyes. She always boastedthat she never cried - but it was very difficult to keep the tears away when she thought of Timothy outthere in the cold.
Dick took her arm. 'Listen, George - you just hate Mr. Roland, and I suppose you can't help it.
But we can none of us bear Timothy being out there all alone - and it looks like snow today, whichwould be awful for him. Could you be awfully, awfully good today, and forget your dislike, so thatwhen your father asks Mr. Roland for your report, he can say you were very good- and then we'll all ask Mr. Roland if he wouldn't let Timmy come back into the house.'
'See?'
Timothy coughed again, out in the yard, and George's heart went cold. Suppose he got that awfulillness called pneumonia - and she couldn't nurse him because he had to live in the kennel ? Shewould die of unhappiness! She turned to Julian and Dick.
'All right,' she said. 'I do hate Mr. Roland - but I love Timothy more than I hate the tutor - so forTim's sake I'll pretend to be good and sweet and hard-working. And then you can beg him to letTimothy come back.'
'Good girl!' said Julian. 'Now here he comes - so do your best.'
To the tutor's enormous surprise, George gave him a smile when he came into the room. This was sounexpected that it puzzled him. He was even more puzzled to find that George worked 51harder than anyone for the rest of the morning, and she answered politely and cheerfully when hespoke to her. He gave her a word of praise.
'Well done, Georgina! I can see you've got brains.'
'Thank you," said George, and gave him another smile - a very watery, poor affair, compared with thehappy smiles the others had been used to - but still, it was a smile!
At dinner-time George looked after Mr. Roland most politely - passed him the salt, offered him morebread, got up to fill his glass when it was empty! The others looked at her in admiration.
George had plenty of pluck. She must be finding it very difficult to behave as if Mr. Roland was agreat friend, when she really disliked him so much!
Mr. Roland seemed very pleased, and appeared to be quite willing to respond to George'sfriendliness. He made a little joke with her, and offered to lend her a book he had about a dog.
George's mother was delighted to find that her difficult daughter seemed to be turning over a newleaf. Altogether things were very much happier that day.
'George, you go out of the room before your father comes in to ask Mr. Roland about your behaviourtonight,' said Julian. 'Then, when the tutor gives you a splendid report, we will all ask if Timothy cancome back. It will be easier if you are not there.'
'All right,' said George. She was longing for this difficult day to be over. It was very hard for her topretend to be friendly, when she was not. She could never never do it, if it wasn't for Timothy's sake!
George disappeared out of the room just before six o'clock, when she heard her father coming.
He walked into the room and nodded to Mr. Roland.
'Well? Have your pupils worked well today?' he asked.
'Very well indeed,' said Mr. Roland. 'Julian has really mastered something he didn't understand today.
Dick has done well in Latin. Anne has written out a French exercise without a single mistake!'
'And what about George?' asked Uncle Quentin.
'I was coming to Georgina,' said Mr. Roland, looking round and seeing that she was gone. 'She hasworked better than anyone else today! I am really pleased with her. She has tried hard - and she hasreally been polite and friendly. I feel she is trying to turn over a new leaf.'
'She's been a brick today,' said Julian, warmly. 'Uncle Quentin, she has tried awfully hard, she reallyhas. And, you know, she's terribly unhappy.'
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'Why?' asked Uncle Quentin in surprise.
'Because of Timothy,' said Julian. 'He's out in the cold, you see. And he's got a dreadful cough.'
'Oh, Uncle Quentin, please do let poor Timmy come indoors,' begged Anne.
'Yes, please do,' said Dick. 'Not only for George's sake, because she loves him so, but for us too.
We hate to hear him whining outside. And George does deserve a reward, Uncle - she's beenmarvellous today.'
'Well,' said Uncle Quentin, looking doubtfully at the three eager faces before him, 'well - I hardlyknow what to say. If George is going to be sensible - and the weather gets colder - well...'
He looked at Mr. Roland, expecting to hear him say something in favour of Timothy. But the tutorsaid nothing. He looked annoyed.
'What do you think, Mr Roland?' asked Uncle Quentin.
'I think you should keep to what you said and let the dog stay outside,' said the tutor. 'George isspoilt, and needs firm handling. You should really keep to your decision about the dog. There is noreason to give way about it just because she has tried to be good for once!'
The three children stared at Mr. Roland in surprise and dismay. It had never entered their heads thathe would not back them up!
'Oh, Mr. Roland, you are horrid!' cried Anne. 'Oh, do, do say you'll have Timothy back.'
The tutor did not look at Anne. He pursed up his mouth beneath its thick moustache and lookedstraight at Uncle Quentin.
'Well,' said Uncle Quentin, 'perhaps we had better see how George behaves for a whole week.
After all - just one day isn't much.'
The children stared at him in disgust. They thought he was weak and unkind. Mr. Roland nodded hishead.
'Yes,' he said, 'a week will be a better test. If Georgina behaves well for a whole week, we'll haveanother word about the dog, sir. But at present I feel it would be better to keep him outside.'
'Very well,' said Uncle Quentin, and went out of the room. He paused to look back. 'Come along intomy study sometime,' he said. 'I've got a bit further with my formula. It's at a very interesting stage.'
The three children looked at one another but said nothing. How mean of the tutor to stop UncleQuentin from having Timothy indoors again! They all felt disappointed in him. The tutor saw theirfaces.
53
'I'm sorry to disappoint you,' he said. 'But I think if you'd been bitten by Timothy once and snapped atall over when he got you on the floor, you would not be very keen on having him in either!'
He went out of the room. The children wondered what to say to George. She came in a moment later,her face eager. But when she saw the gloomy looks of the other three, she stopped short.
'Isn't Tim to come in?' she asked, quickly. 'What's happened? Tell me!'
They told her. The little girl's face grew dark and angry when she heard how the tutor had put his footdown about Timothy, even when her father had himself suggested that the dog might come indoors.
'Oh, what a beast he is!' she cried. 'How I do hate him! I'll pay him out for this. I will, I will!'
She rushed out of the room. They heard her fumbling in the hall, and then the front door banged.
'She's gone out into the dark,' said Julian. ‘I bet she's gone to Timmy. Poor old George. Now she'll beworse than ever!'
That night George could not sleep. She lay and tossed in her bed, listening for Timothy. She heardhim cough. She heard him whine. He was cold, she knew he was. She had put plenty of fresh strawinto his kennel and had turned it away from the cold north wind - but he must feel the bitter nightterribly, after sleeping for so long on her bed!
Timothy gave such a hollow cough that George could bear it no longer. She must, she simply must,get up and go down to him. 'I shall bring him into the house for a little while and rub his chest withsome of that stuff Mother uses for herself when she's got a cold on her chest,' thought the girl.
'Perhaps that will do him good.'
She quickly put a few clothes on and crept downstairs. The whole house was quiet. She slipped outinto the yard and undid Tim's chain. He was delighted to see her and licked her hands and facelovingly.
'Come along into the warm for a little while,' whispered the little girl. I’ll rub your poor chest withsome oil I've got.'
Timmy pattered behind her into the house. She took him to the kitchen - but the fire was out and theroom was cold. George went to look at the other rooms.
There was quite a nice fire still in her father's study. She and Tim went in there. She did not put onthe light, because the firelight was fairly bright. She had with her the little bottle of oil from thebathroom cupboard. She put it down by the fire to warm.
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Then she rubbed the dog's hairy chest with the oil, hoping it would do him good. 'Don't cough now ifyou can help it, Tim,' she whispered. 'If you do, someone may hear you. Lie down here by the fire,darling, and get nice and warm. Your cold will soon be better.'
Timothy lay down on the rug. He was glad to be out of his kennel and with his beloved mistress.
He put his head on her knee. She stroked him and whispered to him.
The firelight glinted on the curious instruments and glass tubes that stood around on shelves in herfather's study. A log shifted a little in the fire and settled lower, sending up a cloud of sparks.
It was warm and peaceful there.
The little girl almost fell asleep. The big dog closed his eyes too, and rested peacefully, happy andwarm. George settled down with her head on his neck.
She awoke to hear the study clock striking six! The room was cold now, and she shivered.
Goodness! Six o'clock! Joanna the cook would soon be awake. She must not find Timmy and Georgein the study!
'Tim darling! Wake up! We must put you back into your kennel,' whispered George. 'I’m sure yourcold is better, because you haven't coughed once since you've been indoors. Get up - and don't makea noise. Sh!'
Tim stood up and shook himself. He licked George's hand. He understood perfectly that he must bequite quiet. The two of them slipped out of the study, went into the hall and out of the front door.
In a minute or two Timothy was on the chain, and in his kennel, cuddled down among the straw.
George wished she could cuddle there with him. She gave him a pat and slipped back indoors again.
She went up to bed, sleepy and cold. She forgot that she was partly dressed and got into bed just asshe was. She was asleep in a moment!
In the morning Anne was most amazed to find that George had on vest, knickers, skirt and jersey,when she got out of bed to dress.
'Look!' she said. 'You're half-dressed! But I saw you undressing last night.'
'Be quiet,' said George. 'I went down and let Tim in last night. We sat in front of the study fire and Irubbed him with oil. Now don't you dare to say a word to anyone! Promise!'
Anne promised - and she faithfully kept her word. Well, well - to think that George dared to roamabout like that all night - what an extraordinary girl she was
