As they were passing out of church, the people from the pew behind walked in front--a very tall and portly gentleman, whose coat tails seemed to swing very much as he walked, and a boy a year or two older than Comethup. In the porch the gentleman swung on his hat, almost before he had passed through the door, with a flourish; glancing behind him as he went out, he caught sight of the captain, and nodded and spoke: "Aha! captain, delightful day; had no idea you belonged to the good folk. Who's our young friend?" He indicated Comethup, who was watching him with something of admiration.
The captain did not seem well pleased; he clipped his words very short, in a fashion he had when angry, as he replied, "Don't you know?"
"Then let me present you," said the captain, keeping fast hold of Comethup's hand, and making an ironically elaborate business of the introduction. "Master Comethup Willis--Mr. Robert Carlaw.--Comethup," he added, his tone changing as he addressed the child, "this is your Uncle Bob."
The portly gentleman seemed surprised, but passed the thing off easily. "Most extraordinary," he exclaimed, "though why the devil Willis ever called the unfortunate creature by that outlandish name passes my comprehension.--How do you do, nephew? I suppose I ought to have remembered your existence long since; but I'm such a careless rascal that I leave undone those things which I ought to have done--if you're a good churchman you'll know the rest, without my troubling to repeat it. Here's your cousin Brian; if you're half as much trouble to your poor old dad as he is to me, I pity that worthy fellow."
The captain was obviously anxious to get away, but Comethup had been looking at the boy to whom he was now introduced, and had, in a childish, worshipping fashion, been quite fascinated by him. He was rather taller than Comethup, and very well dressed, and was, moreover, an extremely handsome boy. He had a rather high forehead for a child, and very thick, curling brown hair brushed loosely back from it. His eyes were keen and bold and dark, and gave Comethup the odd impression of being able to see a great deal more than the eyes of other people. He held himself very upright, with his legs rather apart, and his hands thrust in his pockets; and he swaggered a little as he walked, like his father. He put out his hand to Comethup, and smiled so beautifully with a smile which made his face glow and change, that Comethup was quite glad to think that he was his cousin; he almost felt that he loved him from that moment.