"
The boy blushed and could hardly be got to come in spite of our
previous blandishments; he had had pennies given him before, but
shillings never. His father caught him good-naturedly by the ear and
lugged him to us.
"He's a good boy, Jack is," said Ernest to Mr. Rollings, "I'm sure
of that."
"Yes," said Mr. Rollings, "he's a werry good boy, only that I
can't get him to learn his reading and writing. He don't like going to
school- that's the only complaint I have against him. I don't know
what's the matter with all my children, and yours, Mr. Pontifex, is as
bad, but they none of 'em likes book learning, though they learn
anything else fast enough. Why, as for Jack here, he's almost as
good a bargeman as I am." And he looked fondly and patronisingly
towards his offspring.
"I think," said Ernest to Mr. Rollings, "if he wants to marry
Alice when he gets older he had better do so, and he shall have as
many barges as he likes. In the meantime, Mr. Rollings, say in what
way money can be of use to you, and whatever you can make useful is at
your disposal."
I need hardly say that Ernest made matters easy for this good
couple; one stipulation, however, he insisted on, namely, there was to
be no more smuggling, and that the young people were to be kept out of
this; for a little bird had told Ernest that smuggling in a quiet
way was one of the resources of the Rollings family.
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