"First of April to-morrow!" He looked at
William suspiciously. "And if you try any fool's tricks on me you'll
jolly well hear about it."
"I'm not thinkin' of you," said William crushingly. "I'm not goin' to
trouble with _you_!"
"Has she landed him?" said the friend.
"Not yet, and I heard him saying in the train that he was leaving town
on the 2nd and going abroad for a holiday."
"Well, she'll probably do it yet. She's got all the 1st."
"It's bedtime, William," called his Mother.
"Thank heaven!" said Robert.
William sat gazing into the distance, not seeing or hearing.
"_William_!" called his mother.
"All right," said William irritably. "I'm jus' thinkin' something
out."
* * * * *
William's family went about their ways cautiously the next morning.
They watched William carefully. Robert even refused an egg at
breakfast because you never knew with that little wretch. But nothing
happened.
"Fancy your going on April Fool's day without making a fool of
anyone," said Robert at lunch.
"It's not over, is it?--not yet," said William with the air of a
sphinx.
"But it doesn't count after twelve," said Robert.
William considered deeply before he spoke, then he said slowly:
"The thing what I'm going to do counts whatever time it is."
* * * * *
Reluctantly, but as if drawn by a magnet, Mr. Lambkin set off to the
President's house.
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