This
somewhat appeases Tom's wrath, and by the end of the lesson he has
regained his temper. And afterwards in their study he begins to get
right again, as he watches Arthur's intense joy at seeing Martin blowing
the eggs and gluing them carefully on to bits of cardboard, and notes
the anxious, loving looks which the little fellow casts sidelong at him.
And then he thinks, "What an ill-tempered beast I am! Here's just what I
was wishing for last night come about, and I'm spoiling it all," and in
another five minutes has swallowed the last mouthful of his bile, and is
repaid by seeing his little sensitive plant expand again and sun itself
in his smiles.
After dinner the Madman is busy with the preparations for their
expedition, fitting new straps on to his climbing-irons, filling large
pill-boxes with cotton-wool, and sharpening East's small axe. They carry
all their munitions into calling-overs and directly afterwards, having
dodged such prepostors as are on the lookout for fags at cricket, the
four set off at a smart trot down the Lawford footpath, straight for
Caldecott's Spinney and the hawk's nest.
Martin leads the way in high feather; it is quite a new sensation to
him, getting companions, and he finds it very pleasant, and means to
show them all manner of proofs of his science and skill. Brown and East
may be better at cricket and football and games, thinks he, but out in
the fields and woods see if I can't teach them something.
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