t several, for the artist's
chief recreation was throwing a fly, and one evening as he whipped the
stream he turned quickly to the boys, who were a few yards away.

"See that?" he said.

"No," said Will. "Was it a bite?"

"No, no,--amidst those trees,--Drinkwater."

"Oh," said Josh. "What about him?"

"I thought he wanted to speak to me," said the artist. "It looked as
though he crept away because he saw you."

"Glad he's gone," said Will. "I don't want him. He's too plaguey
disagreeable, isn't he, Josh?"

"Yes," said the lad addressed.

"No, no," said the artist. "I am afraid something's wrong. He was too
good over my accident for me to run him down."

"Don't run him down then," said Will; "but he is getting to be an old
curmudgeon all the same."

"He has been with your father a long time."

"What, old Boil O?" said Will, who had begun to draw in. "Oh, yes,
years and years. He used to be a very good sort of a chap, but of late
something's made him as cross as a bear."

"Perhaps he doesn't like you calling him Boil O," said the artist,
taking out his book and carefully selecting a fresh fly, fastening the
other in his hat.

"Oh, he doesn't mind that," said Will. "Besides, it's his name, or was
his name before it was changed to Drinkwater."

"I wish I could find out what has upset him," said the artist.

"It's nonsense, Mr Manners," said Will. "Old Boil O was always like
that at times, and he's as close as--as anything. He gets some pepper
in him somehow. But he will come round. He always does. It's just his
way. He's a strange chap. Fancy his creeping about after you like
that."

"I take it as a compliment," said the artist, smiling. "Drinkwater and
I are very good friends."

"Well, my father likes him," said Will, "and thinks he's a very good
workman, but his rough manners--"

"You are not speaking of me, I hope?" said the artist.

"Speaking of you! No. But my father says that he often feels irritated
by him."

"Ah!" said the artist, reflectively. "He never shows them to me when we
have a pipe together at night. He is a very interesting character,
Will. Of course, as somebody said, `manners makyth man--'"

"Oh," said Will, "I thought Manners made pictures."

"No wonder you lost that fish," said the artist, dryly, "if you waste
your time making bad jokes."

CHAPTER NINE.

A QUEER CHARACTER.

"Old Boil O's in a regular rage," said Josh, laughing.

"Well, but