lly about Rene.

'I was rude to Rene, I'm afraid; but I was properly served out for it.
One always is. You see, Dad went down to Hastings to pay his respects
to the General who commanded the brigade there, and to bring him to the
Hall afterwards. Dad told me he was a very brave soldier from India--he
was Colonel of Dad's Regiment, the Thirty-third Foot, after Dad left the
Army, and then he changed his name from Wesley to Wellesley, or else the
other way about; and Dad said I was to get out all the silver for him,
and I knew that meant a big dinner. So I sent down to the sea for early
mackerel, and had such a morning in the kitchen and the store-rooms. Old
Amoore nearly cried.

'However, my dear, I made all my preparations in ample time, but the
fish didn't arrive--it never does--and I wanted Rene to ride to Pevensey
and bring it himself. He had gone over to Jerry, of course, as he always
used, unless I requested his presence beforehand. I can't send for Rene
every time I want him. He should be there. Now, don't you ever do what I
did, child, because it's in the highest degree unladylike; but--but
one of our Woods runs up to Jerry's garden, and if you climb--it's
ungenteel, but I can climb like a kitten--there's an old hollow oak
just above the pigsty where you can hear and see everything below.
Truthfully, I only went to tell Rene about the mackerel, but I saw him
and Jerry sitting on the seat playing with wooden toy trumpets. So I
slipped into the hollow, and choked down my cough, and listened. Rene
had never shown me any of these trumpets.'

'Trumpets? Aren't you too old for trumpets?' said Una.

'They weren't real trumpets, because Jerry opened his short-collar, and
Rene put one end of his trumpet against Jerry's chest, and put his
ear to the other. Then Jerry put his trumpet against Rene's chest, and
listened while Rene breathed and coughed. I was afraid I would cough
too.

'"This hollywood one is the best," said Jerry. "'Tis won'erful like
hearin' a man's soul whisperin' in his innards; but unless I've a
buzzin' in my ears, Mosheur Lanark, you make much about the same kind o'
noises as old Gaffer Macklin--but not quite so loud as young Copper. It
sounds like breakers on a reef--a long way off. Comprenny?"

'"Perfectly," said Rene. "I drive on the breakers. But before I strike,
I shall save hundreds, thousands, millions perhaps, by my little
trumpets. Now tell me what sounds the old Gaffer Macklin have made in