John Freeman

“ An alligator moving slowly made a swell in the river, and slowly heaved his bulk out of the river water—a score of tiny streams falling from his corrugated back, and gold dust sliding in them or caught between the horny channels, sparkling like golden frost in the sun. ”

“ Richard was the first to turn and saw a girl of fifteen coming near over the grassy path, dressed in something richly red. He stared at the bright-hued figure, full and soft under the long face, and was confused as she stared back. "It's all right, Myra, I'm only showing Clyne my rabbits."
"But you know you're not allowed to feed them, Cassy. You make them so horribly fat—it's loathsome." She took no notice of Richard save to smile at him when she ended; but as she turned her face away she added, half to Richard and half to the sky, "Cassy's such a donkey with rabbits." ”

“ Next term he would sell all his stamps and buy a net—oh, but his mother would be sure to forbid it. His mother, he obscurely felt, was proud of him, and encouraged him in every serious pursuit—stamp collecting was one—but butterfly-hunting was merely hunting, a violent exercise and no more. ”

“ The Gold Coast—that was where his father had gone, and although he was no longer so stupid as to think of him as King of the Gold Coast, he couldn't understand why, since his father was there, they should be growing poorer at home. Everything had grown quieter; people no longer called at the house as they used to do when he was a small boy and his father was commonly at home ”

“ Young Boney was an awkward-looking, pallid, fat boy, suspected of Jewishness mainly on account of a nose which was thought conclusive evidence in spite of voluble denials and protests. His nose, thick lips, dark eyes, and pallid fleshiness gave the lie to his assertions; even his unvarying good nature argued against him.
"I'm going to leave after next term," said Boney; "my father will be home then and we're going to move. When I'm older I'm to have a pony. You haven't got a pony, have you?"
Richard shook his head, and the other pursued, "Rabbits?" ”

“ Who wants to go to South America?" And as Boney ended Richard told him quickly, "I saw such a fine dragon-fly this morning—over by Crispin's Pool. I expect there'll be a lot there. Why don't you take your net?"
"It's too far to-day. I'm not supposed to go much away from the house while mother isn't at home. ”

“ But why walk so quickly, since he had the whole day? His mother had given him leave to roam as he would, with a packet of egg sandwiches and a stick of American chocolate; soon he would find a spot from which he could see things passing, and eat his lunch. Devil's Wood, that would be the place, for at the top of the wood were cross-roads and carts went by, farm wagons, sometimes fast motors ”