  WHEN Alfred was on his way to school in the afternoon, he saw King and Cox a little way ahead, so he ran after them. “King,” he said, “I am so sorry that you got into a row yesterday. I did not know what pigeon’s milk was, or I should have told you.” As he said this he held out his hand, as he wanted to be friends with all the boys if possible. “We don’t want you, you young sneak, so clear off, or I shall give you some strap-oil of Alfred moved away, and was soon afterwards joined by his friends Steve and Walter. Steve had just been telling Walter all about Mr. Cottenham’s clever parrot, and how it had saved his life. “Alfred, what were you talking to King about?” inquired Walter. “I only told him how sorry I was that he had been punished through me, and that I wanted to shake hands and be friends,” replied Alfred. “Through you! It served him right,” said Walter; “he is far too fond of bullying boys who are smaller than he is. I am very glad that he will be leaving at midsummer.” “So am I,” said Steve; “I never did like him, and he has never liked me. He always was fond of playing jokes on new boys. Last year, in May, he persuaded a boy to climb over an orchard-wall to get him some apples. The silly boy came from a big town, and he did not know that there is no fruit on the trees until the autumn, so over the wall he went. A man caught him and beat him, and when the boy told King of it he only laughed at him.” “The boy is Francis Day; you know him, Alfred, he sits opposite you,” said Walter. While they were in school, Alfred forgot all about King and Cox, and worked well at his tasks. Cox sat close to him, and was doing some sums. He did the same as Alfred, and seemed to be quite as hard at work. Dr. Phillips entered. “Mr. Harmer,” he said, “can you spare, for a few minutes, two of the boys?” “Certainly, Dr. Phillips,” replied the master; “which of them do you want?” “I want two boys to sing some solos at an ‘At Home’ which the dean is going to give shortly, and he said he would like to hear their songs now, as he will be going to London to-night for several days. I think I should prefer Parker and Davidson. King, I am afraid your voice is breaking, and you would not be able to sing the high notes with certainty.” King turned red and looked very much disappointed. Dr. Phillips was a very clever musician, and trained the boys not only with great skill, but also with great patience. They all liked him, and Alfred’s ambition was to be an organist such as he was. Alfred could play the piano very well for a boy, and the reason why he had made such Alfred was very pleased and very proud when he heard his name mentioned, but Cox looked as much disappointed as King. “Parker and Davidson, you can go with Dr. Phillips,” said Mr. Harmer. “I am afraid I shall not be able to send them back, Mr. Harmer, until after service,” said Dr. Phillips. “Very good, there is only the writing lesson and dictation after they have done their sums, and they both spell very well,” replied the master. Alfred and Walter went with Dr. Phillips, and were led into the dean’s drawing-room, where there were several ladies. “These are the boys, Mr. Dean,” said Dr. Phillips. Both boys stood shyly near the door, but the “He has a very powerful voice for so small a boy,” remarked the dean. “He is training for a solo-boy, is he not?” “Yes, sir,” replied Dr. Phillips, “and I think he will be one of the best I have ever had in the choir.” The ladies were all very much pleased with his clear voice, and asked him many questions about his parents and his home. “I shall want you both to sing at my ‘At Home’, and also at a concert we are arranging in connection with the missionary society,” said the dean’s daughter. “I hope you are both good boys at school.” “We try to be so—at least, sometimes we do, ma’am,” said Walter. “I think, Miss Rivers,” said Dr. Phillips, “they are very good boys, that is, for boys.” “What did you say your father was?” an elderly lady asked Alfred. “An engineer, ma’am,” replied Alfred. “My husband is one of the directors of that line,” she remarked, after asking him on what ship his father was serving, “and I remember his mentioning a very clever piece of work your “He went a few weeks ago, ma’am, on another voyage,” replied Alfred. “This is his first voyage for more than six months, as he has been very ill. He got hurt, ma’am, in that storm, but he’s better now.” “My husband also has been ill since; so much so, that he is only just able now to resume his duties. He is going to ask the other directors to reward your father for his bravery and skill. What does your mother do?” “She has been teaching at a school while father was ill, as we had no money left, ma’am.” “Can it be possible? How neglectful we have been! My husband always intended that your father should be rewarded, but while you have been so badly off, we have been thinking of ourselves only. I must write down your address, “He isn’t quite well, ma’am, but he is better, and said he thought the voyage would do him good.” “I hope it will, I am sure,” replied the lady. “Here, take this, little boy, and give that to the other boy.” “This” was half-a-crown. Alfred looked at it with surprise. He had never had more than a shilling at a time to spend, and thought himself quite rich with that amount. How happy he felt when he pictured what he could buy with it for his mother and for Maggie, who was three years older than he! “Now, boys,” said Dr. Phillips, “we must be moving, or we shall be late for service. You are taking the solo, aren’t you, Parker?” “Yes, sir.” The boys went away with Dr. Phillips, and Alfred thought he had never enjoyed a service so much before; he certainly had never sung better. When the service was over, the boys went home, as there were no more lessons that day. “Steve,” said Walter, as they were walking from the cathedral, “we’ve been in luck.” “We’ve had half-a-crown each given to us by a lady at the deanery.” “Why don’t you buy an induction-coil now at Mr. Cottenham’s?—you’ve got batteries—and then we can do some experiments.” “All right!” said Walter, “I am game. You had better buy one as well, Alfred, and then we can make a very strong current.” Alfred did not reply, and away they ran as quickly as they could to spend the money. Mr. Cottenham was not in the shop, so the parrot whistled and called out “Shop!” Mr. Cottenham came in. “Well, boys, what do you want?” “One of those half-crown induction-coils, please, sir.” He got one out for them, and soon showed Walter how to use it. Walter was very fond of science, and all his spare pocket-money was spent with Mr. Cottenham, who not only encouraged the boy, but helped him, and gave him quite as much as he bought. “Well, Alfred, do you want one too?” he inquired, seeing the half-crown in the boy’s hand. “No, thank you, sir.” “No, sir; I am going to send it home to mother.” “That’s right, Alfred.” “Do you want a pill?” said Poll, who had been watching the boys very intently without speaking. The coil having been bought, the boys were just going away, when Mr. Cottenham invited them all to come the following evening to tea, promising to show them some experiments in chemistry and electricity. “Thank you, sir,” replied Walter, his eyes beaming with pleasure. “We will all come as early as we can. Good-evening, sir!” “Stop!” cried out Poll. “No, thank you, Polly,” said Walter, laughing. “We haven’t much home-work, Walter,” said Steve, “can we come in and see your electrical apparatus to-night?” “Yes, do; you come also, Alfred.” “Thank you, Walter; I should very much like to come.” Later in the evening the two boys were watching Walter, who had made some mechanical toys, which he worked with his batteries. There were two windmills, a pump, and a small engine. “I say, Walter,” exclaimed Steve, “what a lark it would be to put your batteries on to the door-handle, so when the boys tried to open the door they would get a tremendous shock!” “Yes,” replied Walter; “I have never thought of that. We will take them to-morrow. You can carry one, while I take the other with the coils.” Then they separated for the night. |
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