Новые приключения Великолепной Пятерки

[363] So all the children were there, sitting round a table, their books in front of them, at half-past nine. Anne had some painting water and her painting-box. The others looked at her enviously. Lucky Anne, to be doing painting whilst they worked hard at difficult things like Latin and maths!

[364] 'Where's Timothy?' asked Julian in a low voice, as they waited for their tutor to come in.

[365] 'Under the table’ said George, defiantly. I'm sure he'll lie still. Don't any of you say anything about him. I want him there. I'm not going to do lessons without Tim here.'

[366] 'I don't see why he shouldn't be here with us,' said Dick. 'He's very very good. Sh! Here comes Mr. Roland.'

[367] The tutor came in, his black beard bristling round his mouth and chin. His eyes looked very piercing in the pale winter sunlight that filtered into the room. He told the children to sit down.

[368] 'I'll have a look at your exercise books first,' he said, 'and see what you were doing last term. You come first, Julian.'

[369] Soon the little class were working quietly together. Anne was very busy painting a bright picture of poppies and cornflowers. Mr. Roland admired it very much. Anne thought he really was very nice.

[370] Suddenly there was a huge sigh from under the table. It was Tim, tired of lying so still Mr. Roland looked up, surprised. George at once sighed heavily, hoping that Mr. Roland would think it was she who had sighed before.

[371] 'You sound tired, Georgina,' said Mr. Roland. 'You shall all have a little break at eleven.'

[372] George frowned. She hated being called Georgina. She put her foot cautiously on Timothy to warn him not to make any more noises. Tim licked her foot.

[373

] After a while, just when the class was at its very quietest, Tim felt a great wish to scratch himself very hard on his back. He got up. He sat down again with a thump, gave a grunt, and began to scratch himself furiously. The children all began to make noises to hide the sounds that Tim was making.

[374] George clattered her feet on the floor. Julian began to cough, and let one of his book slip to the ground. Dick jiggled the table and spoke to Mr. Roland.

[375] 'Oh dear, this sum is so hard; it really is! I keep doing it and doing it, and it simply won't come right!'

[376] 'Why all this sudden noise?' said Mr. Roland in surprise. 'Stop tapping the floor with your feet, Georgina.’

[377] Tim settled down quietly again. The children gave a sigh of relief. They became quiet, and Mr. Roland told Dick to come to him with his maths book.

The tutor took it, and stretched his legs out under the table, leaning back to speak to Dick. To his enormous surprise his feet struck something soft and warm - and then something nipped him sharply on the ankle! He drew in his feet with a cry of pain.

[378] The children stared at him. He bent down and looked under the table. 'It's that dog,' he said, in disgust. 'The brute snapped at my ankles. He has made a hole in my trousers. Take him out, Georgina.'

[379] Georgina said nothing. She sat as though she had not heard.

[380] 'She won't answer if you call her Georgina,' Julian reminded him.

[381] 'She'll answer me whatever I call her,' said Mr. Roland, in a low and angry voice. 'I won't have that dog in here. If you don't take him out this very minute, Georgina, I will go to your father.'

[382] George looked at him. She knew perfectly well that if she didn't take Tim out, and Mr. Roland went to her father, he would order Timothy to live in the garden kennel, and that would be dreadful. There was absolutely nothing to be done but obey. Red in the face, a huge frown almost hiding her eyes, she got up and spoke to Tim.

[383

] 'Come on, Tim! I'm not surprised you bit him. I would, too, if I were a dog!'

[384] 'There is no need to be rude, Georgina,' said Mr. Roland, angrily.

[385] The others stared at George. They wondered how she dared to say things like that. When she got fierce it seemed as if she didn't care for anyone at all!

[386] 'Come back as soon as you have put the dog out,' said Mr. Roland.

[387] George scowled, but came back in a few minutes. She felt caught. Her father was friendly with Mr. Roland, and knew how difficult George was - if she behaved as badly as she felt she would like to, it would be Tim who would suffer, for he would certainly be banished from the house. So for Tim's sake George obeyed the tutor - but from that moment she disliked him and resented him bitterly with all her fierce little heart.

[388] The others were sorry for George and Timothy, but they did not share the little girl's intense dislike of the new tutor. He often made them laugh. He was patient with their mistakes. He was willing to show them how to make paper darts and ships, and to do funny little tricks. Julian and Dick thought these were fun, and stored them up to try on the other boys when they went back to school.