The father had accepted the explanation of the toothache, the mother doubted it. The boy could not deceive her. She was too clever in mother sense.
After the tea table had been taken away, Mr. Devering called Big Chief to him and began to ask him questions about the ailing tooth.
Mrs. Devering however drew the boy to her. "I think, Daddy," she said, "that it is more headache than toothache. I am going to put him to bed and bathe his head."
Big Chief followed her with this same head hanging low.
I stepped along by the veranda until I came to his room. His bed was near the window. It would not be put out till later.
She made him lie down and seeing he was disinclined to talk, she sat by him till it was time for the other children to come in to supper.
After supper the children were very quiet, and before they went to bed, every boy Jack and every girl Jill came to say good-night to their big brother.
Little Big Wig, who had evidently heard the older ones pitying the sick one, said as he reached up to kiss him, "We're thorry, boy, we'll not sthrike you again."
"What's that?" asked Mrs. Devering sharply. "Have you children been beating your brother?"
"Oh! rubbish," said Big Chief, "it's only the kid's fun. Good-night, young one," and I heard the sound of a hearty boyish kiss. Alas! poor lad, it was another farewell.
Cassowary did not kiss him. I heard her calmly wishing him a good sleep from the doorway.
Then Mr. Devering came, put his boy's bed outside and wishing him pleasant dreams went with his wife and Mr. Macdonald into the living room, where the three sang Canadian songs most cheerfully for an hour before going to bed.
The harmonious sound floated out of the house across the water and also up to the stables.
How animals love music when not too near them.
I could not stay long in my lilac quarters that night. My head was full of business and I fairly galloped to the Hackney pony's stall.
He must be told that his young master intended to run away from home that night, and he must be induced to concoct some plan with me by which we could keep him from carrying out his rash plan.
"Attaboy," I said as I stood behind him in his stall, "may I come in? I wish to whisper something in your ear."