But perhaps when you see
Miss O'Hara and Miss O'Flynn you'll take a fit of shyness. It's to be
hoped you will."
"Shyness!" cried Tom. "What's that?"
"It's what you ought to have, Tom, and it's to be hoped you will have it
when the time comes."
"Looks like it!" cried Tom, rubbing his hands in a meaning way. "Never
frightened of anybody in the whole course of my life. Mean to have a
lark with your pretty Miss Kathleen; mean to get a sov. or two out of
that charming Miss O'Flynn; mean to coax Aunty Church to give me that
microscope when she moves across the sea to Ireland. Tell you, Susy,
I'm up to a lark, and the best of the supper goes down my throat. Now
you know, and there's no use worriting, for what can't be cured must be
endured. Tom Hopkins is part and parcel of this 'ere feast, and the
sooner you make up your mind to endure me the better."
Susy felt slightly alarmed, but she knew from experience that Tom's bark
was worse than his bite; and she trusted to Aunt Church desiring him in
a peremptory manner to go when the time approached, and to Tom's being
forced to obey her.
They arrived in good time at their destination, and Mrs. Church received
them figuratively with open arms. And now began the real fuss and the
real preparation. Tom took a brush and kicked up, as Aunt Church
expressed it, no end of a shindy. The little sitting-room was a cloud of
dust. The table, the chairs, and the little sideboard were pushed about;
everything seemed to be at a loss until Susy peremptorily took the
duster out of Tom's hand and reduced chaos to order.
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