With what shops did they get into debt?
This was asking too much. Ernest said he didn't know!
"Oh, Ernest, Ernest," exclaimed his mother, who was in the room, "do
not so soon a second time presume upon the forbearance of the
tenderest-hearted father in the world. Give time for one stab to
heal before you wound him with another."
This was all very fine, but what was Ernest to do? How could he
get the school shopkeepers into trouble by owning that they let some
of the boys go on tick with them? There was Mrs. Cross, a good old
soul, who used to sell hot rolls and butter for breakfast, or eggs and
toast, or it might be the quarter of a fowl with bread sauce and
mashed potatoes for which she would charge 6d. If she made a
farthing out of the sixpence it was as much as she did. When the
boys would come trooping into her shop after "the hounds" how often
had not Ernest heard her say to her servant girls, "Now then, you
wanches, git some cheers." All the boys were fond of her, and was
he, Ernest, to tell tales about her? It was horrible.
"Now look here, Ernest," said his father with his blackest scowl, "I
am going to put a stop to this nonsense once for all.
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