lly acquired a
reputation in the Old Country for his brilliant powers of narrative.

This, Hamilton discovered quite by accident. It would appear that
Hamilton's sister had been on a visit--was in fact on the visit when she
wrote one letter which so opened Hamilton's eyes--and mentioned that she
was staying with some great friends of Bones'. She did not, of course,
call him "Bones," but "Mr. Tibbetts."

"I should awfully like to meet him," she wrote, "he must be a very
interesting man. Aggie Vernon had a letter from him yesterday wherein he
described his awful experience lion-hunting.

"To be chased by a lion and caught and then carried to the beast's lair
must have been awful!

"Mr. Tibbetts is very modest about it in his letter, and beyond telling
Aggie that he escaped by sticking his finger in the lion's eye he says
little of his subsequent adventure. By the way, Pat, Aggie tells me that
you had a bad bout of fever and that Mr. Tibbetts carried you for some
miles to the nearest doctor. I wish you wouldn't keep these things so
secret, it worries me dreadfully unless you tell me--even the worst
about yourself. I hope your interesting friend returned safely from his
dangerous expedition into the interior--he was on the point of leaving
when his letter was dispatched and was quite gloomy about his
prospects...."

Hamilton read this epistle over and over again, then he sent for Bones.

That gentleman came most cheerfully, full of fine animal spirits,
and----

"Just had a letter about you, Bones," said Hamilton carelessly.

"About me, sir!" said Bones; "from the War Office--I'm not being
decorated or anything!" he asked anxiously.

"No--nothing so tragic; it was a letter from my sister, who is staying
with the Vernons."

"Oh!" said Bones going suddenly red.

"What a modest devil you are," said the admiring Hamilton, "having a
lion hunt all to yourself and not saying a word about it to anybody."

Bones made curious apologetic noises.

"I didn't know there were any lions in the country," pursued Hamilton
remorselessly. "Liars, yes! But lions, no! I suppose you brought them
with you--and I suppose you know also, Bones, that it is considered in
lion-hunting circles awfully rude to stick your finger into a lion's
eye? It is bad sportsmanship to say the least, and frightfully painful
for the lion."

Bones was making distressful grimaces.

"How would you like a lion to stick his finger in _your_ eye?" asked
Ha