To say the truth, I think he was rather nervous; but if
we have a virtue among us it is that of courage; and after dropping
the book twice, and drinking all the water at a draught, he found his
place, and began.
"_How to act in an emergency_."
"What's an emergency?" I asked. I was very proud of being taught by
Rupert, and anxious to understand everything as we went along.
"You shouldn't interrupt," said Rupert, frowning. I am inclined now to
think that he could not answer my question off-hand; for though he
looked cross then, after referring to the book he answered me: "It's a
fire, or drowning, or an apoplectic fit, or anything of that sort."
After which explanation, he hurried on. If what he said next came out
of his own head, or whether he had learned it by heart, I never knew.
"There is no stronger sign of good-breeding than presence of mind in
an--"
"--apoplectic fit," I suggested. I was giving the keenest attention,
and Rupert had hesitated, the wind having blown over a leaf too many
of the yellow leather book.
"An _emergency_," he shouted, when he had found his place. "Now we'll
have one each time. The one for to-day is--How to act in a case of
drowning.
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