"Now," said Mrs. Bertram, "this is the sovereign that I usually give
you. I hope you will spend it wisely. Tell me when it is gone what you
have done with it. I hope you will spend a happy day. Give me a kiss and
leave me. Oh, if only you were more like your handsome father!"
Roy took his gift, thanked her for it, and giving his grandmother a
kiss, left the room very quietly.
Outside the door he paused on the door-mat, and drew his jacket across
his eyes with a strangled sob.
"It's a pity God won't make me strong, but I don't seem to be able to do
it myself."
And then with a shout for Dudley, a minute after he was tearing round
the house, showing his pet mice to all, and chattering away as if he had
not a care upon him.
General Newton arrived soon after and took a more cheering view of his
ward's appearance than had his grandmother.
"You'll grow into a splendid fellow yet," he said, patting him on the
shoulder, "and you'll out-top your cousin. Have you been in many scrapes
lately?"
"They're good boys on the whole," replied Miss Bertram, smiling; "except
when they try to be philanthropists, and then they come to grief."
"Oh, that's the last idea, is it? When I was here before they were going
to be travelling peddlers.
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