his eye wandered in mild

When he came down on this particular morning, the meal was nearlyover. Mr. Jackson had disappeared, taking his correspondence with him;Mrs. Jackson had gone into the kitchen, and when Mike appeared thething had resolved itself into a mere vulgar brawl between Phyllis andElla for the jam, while Marjory, who had put her hair up a fortnightbefore, looked on in a detached sort of way, as if these juvenilegambols distressed her. 　　"Hullo, Mike," she said, jumping up as he entered; "here you are--I'vebeen keeping everything hot for you.""Have you? Thanks awfully. I say--" his eye wandered in mild surpriseround the table. "I'm a bit late."Marjory was bustling about, fetching and carrying for Mike, as shealways did. She had adopted him at an early age, and did the thingthoroughly. She was fond of her other brothers, especially when theymade centuries in first-class cricket, but Mike was her favourite. Shewould field out in the deep as a natural thing when Mike was battingat the net in the paddock, though for the others, even for Joe, whohad played in all five Test Matches in the previous summer, she woulddo it only as a favour. 　　Phyllis and Ella finished their dispute and went out. Marjory sat onthe table and watched Mike eat. 　　"Your report came this morning, Mike," she said. 　　The kidneys failed to retain Mike's undivided attention. He looked upinterested. "What did it say?""I didn't see--I only caught sight of the Wrykyn crest on theenvelope. Father didn't say anything."Mike seemed concerned. "I say, that looks rather rotten! I wonder ifit was awfully bad. It's the first I've had from Appleby.""It can't be any worse than the horrid ones Mr. Blake used to writewhen you were in his form.""No, that's a comfort," said Mike philosophically. "Think there's anymore tea in that pot?""I call it a shame," said Marjory; "they ought to be jolly glad tohave you at Wrykyn just for cricket, instead of writing beastlyreports that make father angry and don't do any good to anybody.""Last summer he said he'd take me away if I got another one.""He didn't mean it really, I _know_ he didn't! He couldn't! 　　You're the best bat Wrykyn's ever had.""What ho!" interpolated Mike.