Part 33 (1/2)

”Not at all hard work,” was Charles Larkyns's reply, ”but play

Play, too, in more senses than one See! I have just struck a fish

Watch, while I play him

---Thomas Aird -=-

[234 ADVENTURES OF MR VERDANT GREEN]

'The play's the thing!' Wait awhile and you'll see > So they waited awhile and watched this fisherman at play, until he had triumphantly landed his fish, and then they pursued their way

Miss Patty had great conversational abilities and immense power of small talk, so that Verdant felt quite at ease in her society, and found his natural tireatly diether put on one side They were always such capital friends, and Miss Patty was so kind and thoughtful inover any little ~gaucheries~ to which his bashfulness ive birth, that it is not to be wondered at if the young gentleht in her society, and should seek for it at every opportunity In fact, Miss Patty Honeyas beginning to be quite necessary to Mr Verdant Green's happy existence It norant of this, but was enabled to read the young e pretty accurately of his inward feelings, from those minute details of outward evidence which wo to their true source Itlady did not choose either to check these feelings or to alter this state of ht to have done if she was solicitous for her companion's happiness, and was unable to increase it in the way that he wished

But, at any rate, with ether along the Swirl's rocky banks, and passing into a large enclosure, they advanced h the fields to a spot which see strearound for the picture, which, on the one side, was shut in by a steep hill rising precipitously froh bed, and on the other side opened out into ain the near view the ruined church of Lasthope, with the still more ruinous e; with a round the ”sow-backed” Cheviot itself

[AN OXFORD FRESHMAN 235]

Miss Patty hadto wash it in, when, as her co> the stream with a little tin can of water, he saw, to his equal terror and a aspect stealthily approaching the seated figure of the unconscious young lady Mr

Verdant Green looked hastily around and at once perceived the danger that menaced his fair friend It was evident that the bull had coe enclosure, the while they had been too occupied to observe his stealthy approach No one was in sight save Charles Larkyns, as too far off to be of any use

The nearest gate was about a hundred and fifty yards distant; and the bull was so placed that he could overtake them before they would be able to reach it Overtake them! - yes! But suppose they separated? then, as the brute could not go tays at once, there would be a chance for one of theate in safety

Love, which induces people to take extraordinary steps, prompted Mr

Verdant Green to jump at a conclusion He determined, with less display but more sincerity than melodramatic heroes, to save Miss Patty, or ”perish in the attenorant of the presence of danger; and, as Verdant returned to her with the tin can of water, she received hiush of pleasant s, ”Don't be frightened - there is no danger - but there is a bull coate, and keep your face towards him as much as possible, and don't let him see that you are afraid of him

I will take off his attention till you are safe at the gate, and then I can wade through the streaet out of his reach”

Miss Patty had at once sprung to her feet, and her sed to a terrified expression ”Oh, but he will hurt you!” she cried; ”do coe I can't think what brings hienerally up at the bailiff's Pray do come; I can take care of myself”

[236 ADVENTURES OF MR VERDANT GREEN]

Miss Patty in her agitation and anxiety had taken hold of Mr Verdant Green's hand; but, although the young gentlely allowed her to retain possession of it, on the present occasion he disengaged it from her clasp, and said, ”Pray don't lose time, or it will be too late for both of us I assure you that I can easily take care of o, pray; quietly, but quickly” So Miss Patty, with an earnest, searching gaze into her companion's face, did as he bade her, and retreated with her face to the foe

In a few seconds, however, the object of her , upon which discovery he set up a bellow of fury, and stanified wrath

But, eneral who has satisfactorily worked out the forty-seventh proposition of the First Book of Euclid, and knows therefrom that the square of the hypothenuse equals both that of the base and perpendicular, he unconsciously co charge in the direction of the gate to which Miss Patty was hastening Thereupon, Mr Verdant Green, perceiving the young lady's peril, deliberately ran towards Mr Roarer, shouting and brandishi+ng the sketch-book Mr

Roarer paused in wonder and perplexity Mr Verdant Green shouted and advanced; Miss Patty steadily retreated After a few n of pursuing the petticoats, and resolved that the gentlely he sounded his truave another roar and a sta picked up a large stone, threw it dexterously into Mr

Roarer's face, which brought that broad-chested gentleman to a stand-still of astonishment and a search for the e, andtowards Miss Patty he saw that she ithin thirty yards of the gate, and in a h his s prevented hihtful theed, and Mr Verdant Green - braced up, as it were, to energetic proceedings by the screaun to shrilly echo Mr Roarer's deep-s - waited for his approach, and then, as the bull rushed on him - like a massive rock hurled forward by an avalanche - he leaped aside, ni hare As he did so, he thren his wide-awake, which the irate Mr Roarer forthwith fell upon, and tossed, and tossed, and tore into shreds By this time, Verdant had reached the bank of the Swirl; but before he could proceed further, the

[AN OXFORD FRESHMAN 237]