He used
to be alive, you know--the Ockley who was keeper of the fives in my
first half. I once pointed him out to mother. I was jolly glad he was
the one who came for us. As soon as I saw it was Ockley I knew we should
be all right.'
'Dick, I like that Ockley.'
'Rather. I wish I could remember something funny to tell you though.
There are lots of jokes, but I am such a one for forgetting them.'
He laughs boisterously. We may be sure that he flings back his head. You
remember how Dick used to fling back his head when he laughed?--No, you
didn't know him.
'Father, do you remember little Wantage who was at my private and came
on to Ridley's house in my third half? His mother was the one you called
Emily.'
'Emily Wantage's boy.'
'That's the card. We used to call him Jemima, because he and his mother
were both caught crying when lock-up struck, and she had to clear out.'
'She was very fond of him, Dick.'
'Oh, I expect no end. Tell her he's killed.'
'She knows.'
'She had got a wire. That isn't the joke, though. You see he got into a
hopeless muddle about which side of the veil he had come out on; and he
went off with the other ones, and they wouldn't have him, and he got
lost in the veil, running up and down it, calling to us; and just for
the lark we didn't answer.
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