Chapter VII. Jill's Mission

timesbutIwon'tcomplainabit,thoughmyforeheadsmarts,myarmsaretired,andonecheekisasredasfire.” “TheRomanStatesmakeahandsomepage,don'tthey?”askedJack,littledreamingoftheparthewasplayinginJill'smind.“Oh,Isay,isn'tCoreaabeauty?I'meversoproudofthat”andhegazedfondlyonabigbluestamp,thesoleornamentofonepage. “Idon'tseewhytheCapeofGoodHopehaspyramids.TheyoughttogoinEgypt.TheSandwichIslandsareallright,withheadsoftheblackkingsandqueensonthem,”saidJill,feelingthattheywereveryappropriatetoherprivateplay. “Turkeyhascrescents,Australiaswans,andSpainwomen'sheads,withblackbarsacrossthem.Franksaysitisbecausetheykeepwomenshutupsobutthatwasonlyhisfun.I'dratherhaveagood,honestgreenUnitedStates,withWashingtononit,orablueone-centerwitholdFranklin,thanalltheireaglesandlionsandkingsandqueensputtogether,”addedthedemocraticboy,withadisrespectfulslaponacrownedheadashesettledHeligolandinitsplace. “WhydoesAustriahaveMercuryonthestamp,Iwonder?Dotheywearhelmetslikethat?”askedJill,withthebrush-handleinhermouthasshecutafreshbatchofflaps. “Maybehewaspostmantothegods,soheisputonstampsnow.ThePrussianswearhelmets,buttheyhavespikesliketheoldRomanfellows.IlikePrussianseversomuchtheyfightsplendidly,andalwaysbeat.Austrianshaveahandsomeuniform,though.” “TalkingofRomansremindsmethatIhavenotheardyourLatinfortwodays.Come,lazybones,braceup,andletushaveitnow.I'vedonemycompo,andshallhavejusttimebeforeIgooutforatrampwithGus,”saidFrank,puttingbyaneatpagetodry,forhestudiedeverydaylikeaconscientiousladashewas. “Don'tknowit.Notgoingtotrytillnextweek.GrindawayoveryouroldGreekasmuchasyoulike,butdon'tbotherme,”answeredJack,frowningatthemerethoughtofthedetestedlesson. ButFrankadoredhisXenophon,andwouldnotseehisoldfriend,Caesar,neglectedwithoutanefforttodefendhimsoheconfiscatedthegum-pot,andeffectuallystoppedthestampbusinessbywhiskingawayatonefellswoopallthatlayonJill'stable. “Nowthen,youngman,youwillquitthissortofnonsenseanddoyourlesson,oryouwon'tseethesefellowsagaininahurry.Youaskedmetohearyou,andI'mgoingtodoithere'sthebook.” Frank'stonewasthedictatorialone,whichJackhatedandalwaysfoundhardtoobey,especiallywhenheknewheoughttodoit.Usually,whenhispatiencewastried,hestrodeabouttheroom,orranoffforaraceroundthegarden,comingbackbreathless,butgood-tempered.Nowboththeseventsforirritationweredeniedhim,andhehadfallenintothewayofthrowingthingsaboutinapet.HelongedtosendCaesartoperpetualbanishmentinthefireblazingcloseby,butresistedthetemptation,andansweredhonestly,thoughgruffly:“IknowIdid,butIdon'tseeanyuseinpouncingonafellowwhenheisn'tready.Ihaven'tgotmylesson,anddon'tmeantoworryaboutitsoyoumayjustgivemebackmythingsandgoaboutyourbusiness.” “I'llgiveyoubackastampforeveryperfectlessonyouget,andyouwon'tseethemonanyotherterms”and,thrustingthetreasuresintohispocket,Frankcaughtuphisrubberboots,andwentoffswingingthemlikeapairofclubs,feelingthathewouldgiveatrifletobeabletousethemonhislazybrother. Atthishigh-handedproceeding,andthethreatwhichaccompaniedit,Jack'spatiencegaveout,andcatchingupCaesar,ashethought,senthimflyingaftertheretreatingtyrantwiththedefiantdeclaration,— “Keepthem,then,andyouroldbook,too!Iwon'tlookatittillyougiveallmystampsbackandsayyouaresorry.Sonow!” ItwasalloverbeforeMammacouldinterfere,orJilldomorethanclutchandclingtothegum-brush.Frankvanishedunharmed,butthepoorbookdashedagainstthewalltofallhalfopenonthefloor,itsgaycoverloosened,anditssmoothleavescrushedbytheblow. “It'sthealbum!OJack,howcouldyou?”criedJill,dismayedatsightofthepreciousbooksomaltreatedbytheowner. “Thoughtitwastheother.Guessitisn'thurtmuch.Didn'tmeantohithim,anyway.Hedoesprovokemeso,”mutteredJack,veryredandshamefacedashismotherpickedupthebookandlaiditsilentlyonthetablebeforehim.Hedidnotknowwhattodowithhimself,andwasthankfulforthestampsstilllefthim,findinggreatreliefinmakingfacesashepluckedthemonebyonefromhismortifiedcountenance.Jillloo