William Again Read Online Free Page A

Ireland together.
    ‘If William drops overboard,’ was Robert’s parting shot, ‘don’t worry.’
    The crossing was fairly eventful. William, hanging over the edge of the steamer, overbalanced, and was rescued from a watery grave by one of the crew who caught him by his trousers as the
overbalancing occurred. William was far from grateful.
    ‘Pullin’ an’ tuggin’ at me,’ he said, ‘an’ I was all right. I was only jus’ lookin’ over the edge. I’d have got back all
right.’
    But the member of the crew made life hideous for Mrs Brown.
    ‘You know, lady,’ he muttered, ‘when I saved yer little boy’s life, I give myself such a wrench. I can feel it in my innards now, as it were—’
    Hastily she gave him ten shillings. Yet she could not stem the flow.
    ‘I ’ope, lady,’ he would continue at intervals, ‘when that choild’s growd to be a man, you’ll think sometoimes of the poor ole man wot saved ’is life at
the expense of ’is own innards, as you might say, when ’e were a little ’un.’
    A speech like that always won half a crown. In the end Mrs Brown spent her time avoiding him and fleeing whenever she saw him coming along the deck. When a meeting was inevitable she hastily
gave him the largest coin she could find before he could begin on his ‘innards’.
    Meanwhile a passenger had discovered William neatly balanced through a porthole, and earned his undying hatred by hauling him in and depositing him upside down on the floor.
    ‘Seems to me,’ said William to his mother, ‘that all these folks have come for is to stop other folks having a good time. What do you come on a boat for if you can’t look
at the sea – that’s all I want to know?’
    A gale rose, and Mrs Brown, pale and distraught, sat huddled up on deck. William hovered round sympathetically.
    ‘I got some chocolate creams in my other coat. Like some of them?’
    ‘William, dear, don’t bother to stay here. I’d just as soon you went away and played.’
    ‘Oh no,’ said William nobly. ‘I wun’t leave you feelin’ bad.’
    The boat gave a lurching heave. Mrs Brown groaned.
    ‘Think you goin’ to be sick, Mother?’ said William with interest.
    ‘I – I don’t know . . . Wouldn’t you like to go over to the other side for a change?’
    William wandered away. Soon he returned, holding in his hands two doughnuts – masses of yellowy, greasy-looking dough, bearing the impress of William’s grimy fingers.
    ‘I’ve got us one each,’ said William cheerfully. ‘You must be awful hungry, Mother.’
    Mrs Brown gave one glance and turned towards the sea.
    In Great-Aunt Jane’s drawing-room were assembled Uncle John and Aunt Lucy and Cousin Francis. Francis was about the same age as William, but inordinately fat and clad in
white. He had fair curls and was the apple of his parents’ eyes. They had heard of William but none of them had seen him. There was a murmur of excitement as the sound of the taxi was heard,
then William and his mother entered. Mrs Brown was still pale. William followed her, scowling defiantly at the world in general.

    SOON WILLIAM RETURNED, HOLDING IN HIS HANDS TWO DOUGHNUTS.
    ‘If you have any brandy—’ said Mrs Brown faintly.
    ‘Brandy?’ said William cheerfully. ‘I never thought of that. I got you nearly everything else, didn’t I? I wanted to tempt her to eat,’ he explained to the company.
‘I thought of choc’lates an’ cakes an’ cocoa an’ pork pies – I kept askin’ her to try pork pie – there was some lovely ones on the boat – but I never
thought of brandy. Have a good drink of it, Mother,’ he encouraged her, ‘an’ then try an’ have a go at the chocolates.’
    Mrs Brown shivered slightly and sipped the brandy.
    ‘This, William,’ said Aunt Lucy, ‘is your cousin Francis.’
    Cousin Francis held out his hand. ‘How do you do, William?’
    William took the proffered hand. ‘How do you do?’ he said loudly, and added sotto voce,