about the letter

He read it during school, under the desk; and ceased to wonder. Bobhad had cause to look worried. For the thousand and first time in hercareer of crime Marjory had been and done it! With a strong hand shehad shaken the cat out of the bag, and exhibited it plainly to allwhom it might concern. 　　There was a curious absence of construction about the letter. Mostauthors of sensational matter nurse their bomb-shell, lead up toit, and display it to the best advantage. Marjory dropped hers intothe body of the letter, and let it take its chance with the othernews-items. 　　"DEAR BOB" (the letter ran),--"I hope you are quite well. I am quite well. Phyllis has a cold,Ella cheeked Mademoiselle yesterday, and had to write out 'LittleGirls must be polite and obedient' a hundred times in French. Shewas jolly sick about it. I told her it served her right. Joe madeeighty-three against Lancashire. Reggie made a duck. Have you gotyour first? If you have, it will be all through Mike. Uncle Johntold Father that Mike pretended to hurt his wrist so that you couldplay instead of him for the school, and Father said it was verysporting of Mike but nobody must tell you because it wouldn't befair if you got your first for you to know that you owed it to Mikeand I wasn't supposed to hear but I did because I was in the roomonly they didn't know I was (we were playing hide-and-seek and I washiding) so I'm writing to tell you,"From your affectionate sister"Marjory."There followed a P.S. 　　"I'll tell you what you ought to do. I've been reading a jolly goodbook called 'The Boys of Dormitory Two,' and the hero's an awfullynice boy named Lionel Tremayne, and his friend Jack Langdale saveshis life when a beast of a boatman who's really employed by Lionel'scousin who wants the money that Lionel's going to have when he growsup stuns him and leaves him on the beach to drown. Well, Lionel isgoing to play for the school against Loamshire, and it's _the_match of the season, but he goes to the headmaster and says he wantsJack to play instead of him. Why don't you do that? 　　"M. 　　"P.P.S.--This has been a frightful fag to write."For the life of him Mike could not help giggling as he pictured whatBob's expression must have been when his brother read this document. 　　But the humorous side of the thing did not appeal to him for long.