l with the
late owner had something to say to his present invitation.
However, it did not lie in his mouth to be curious on the
subject; and so he accepted the invitation gladly, much delighted
at the notion of beginning his vacation so near Englebourn, and
having the run of the Grange fishing, which was justly
celebrated.

CHAPTER XXXVI

THE RIVER SIDE

So, from Henley, Tom went home just to see his father and mother
and pick up his fishing-gear, and then started for the Grange. On
his road thither, he more than once almost made up his mind to go
round by Englebourn, get his first interview with Katie over, and
find out how the world was really going with Harry and his
sweetheart, of whom he had such meagre intelligence of late. But,
for some reason or another, when it came to taking the turn to
Englebourn, he passed it by, and, contenting himself for the time
with a distant view of the village and the Hawk's Lynch, drove
straight to the Grange.

He had not expected to feel very comfortable at first in the
house which he had left the previous autumn in so strange a
manner, and he was not disappointed. The rooms reminded him
unpleasantly of his passage of arms with the late master, and the
grave and portly butler was somewhat embarrassed in his reception
of him; while the footman, who carried off his portmanteau, did
it with a grin which put him out. The set of men whom he found
there were not of his sort. They were young Londoners, and he a
thorough countryman. But the sight of the stream by which he took
a hearty stroll before dinner made up for everything, and filled
him with pleasurable anticipations. He thought he had never seen
a sweeter bit of water.

The dinner to which the party of young gentlemen sat down was
most undeniable. The host talked a little too much, perhaps;
under all the circumstances, of _my_ wine, _my_ plate, _my_
mutton, &c., provoking the thought of how long they had been his.
But he was bent on hospitality after his fashion, and his guests
were not disposed to criticize much.

The old butler did not condescend to wait, but brought in a
magnum of claret after dinner, carefully nursing it as if it were
a baby, and placing it patronizingly before his young master.
Before they adjourned to the billiard-room they had disposed of
several of the same; but the followers were brought in by a
footman, the butler being employed in discussing a bottle of an
older vintage with the steward i