William in Trouble Read Online Free PDF Page A

the end as a fragment of mosaic. The remarks he made on the piece of Balbus’ wall and the
mensa were unheard by most of his audience. Finally he bowed, and said: ‘That is all, ladies and gentlemen.’
    The audience applauded whole-heartedly, and then surged excitedly into the room where the Whist Drive was to be held.
    Meanwhile in the other room the Professor carefully folded up both spectacles and notes and went to the table where lay the ‘exhibits’. He took up the drooping goose, held it up
close to his eyes. He gave a start and held it closer still. Frantically he seized the toasting-fork and the sardine tin and did the same with those. He put them down. A wild look came into his
eyes. He turned to the lanky youth.
    ‘W-what are these?’ he said.
    ‘The things out of your bag, sir,’ said the lanky youth.
    ‘No, they’re not ,’ almost screamed the Professor. ‘I tell you they’re not. You – you didn’t hold up these , did you?’
    ‘Yes, sir,’ said the youth blankly. ‘They was numbered same as you said – they was all there was.’
    The Professor searched wildly in the bag. Then he gave a scream.
    ‘It’s not my bag,’ gasped the Professor. ‘It’s not my bag. It’s—’
    He bundled the things back into the bag and tore out of the building, and ran down the road to the Browns’ house. At the gate he met two boys. They carried a bag almost exactly like his.
One was talking indignantly.
    ‘Well, I can’t help it. I tell you someone’s stole my things an’ put these rotten ole things in instead. Well, I could’ve talked about the real things. I
can’t talk about these rotten ole things. There was jus’ nothin’ to say about ’em. I’d thought out things to say about the real things. Well, no one could say
anythin’ about these old things, I tell you. An’ then they got mad – well, I din’ want everyone to start fightin’, I—’
    The old Professor dropped his bag and seized upon the one William held and opened it. William seized upon the one the Professor had dropped and opened it. He looked at the contents and fixed a
stern eye upon the Professor.
    ‘So it was you stole my things, was it?’ he said indignantly.
    ‘The statuette!’ screamed the Professor, searching through his bag. ‘It’s not here!’
    ‘Oh, that doll thing!’ said William contemptuously. ‘A kid cried for it an’ I gave it her. I din’ think anyone’d want it.’
    ‘Get it back! Get it back !’ screamed the Professor.
    ‘All right,’ said William in a bored tone of voice. ‘She’s only jus’ down the road. I’ll get it for you ’f you want it.’ He turned to Ginger.
‘You stay an’ see if all my things are all right,’ he said sternly.
    He departed. The Professor put on his spectacles and eagerly and suspiciously examined the contents of his bag. Ginger, with equal eagerness and suspicion, examined the contents of the other
bag. At the end of ten minutes William returned. He held an ancient green bronze statuette and had a black eye.
    ‘Had to fight her brother for it,’ he explained briefly, ‘he said she’d given it him. Here it is.’
    The Professor snatched it eagerly and put it into the bag. Then he took out his watch.

    ‘THE STATUETTE!’ SCREAMED THE PROFESSOR, SEARCHING THROUGH HIS BAG. ‘IT’S NOT HERE!’
    ‘Goodness gracious!’ he said. ‘I shall miss my train,’ and set off at a run down the road without another word.
    William and Ginger bent over the bag.
    ‘Are they all there?’ said William.
    ‘Yes,’ said Ginger.
    ‘No wonder he pinched ’em for his show,’ said William bitterly. ‘They’re a jolly sight better than his mouldy ole things. No wonder I coun’t
make anyone take any int’rest in ’em.’
    ‘Well,’ said Ginger optimistically, ‘let’s give another show with the real things.’
    ‘No,’ said William firmly, ‘I’m sick of ole Roman things. Let’s think of something else.’
    The Professor was in a railway