ldn't
poison a cat with them."

"No," said Aleck Macey; "I know."

"Know what?"

"It's a dodge to make a job for his uncle, because the doctor can't get
any practice."

"Don't want any," said the lad, good-humouredly. "If he did, he'd go
back to Savile Row."

"Not he," snarled Distin, pausing in his occupation of removing thorns
from his jacket. "Killed all his patients, and was obliged to run away
into the country."

"That's it!" said Vane Lee, with a laugh. "What a clever chap you are,
Distie; at least you would be if your tongue wasn't quite so sharp.
There, shake hands, I didn't mean to hurt you."

He stretched out rather a dirty hand, at which the young Creole gave a
contemptuous glance, looked at his own white fingers, and thrust them
into his pockets.

"Ah, well, they are dirty," said Vane, laughing. "No, they're not.
It's only good old English soil. Come on. Uncle will be glad to see
you, and then we'll all walk up to the Rectory together."

_Crick_!

Distin struck a match, and, with a very haughty look on his thin face,
began to puff at a cigarette which he had taken from a little silver
case, Vane watching him scornfully the while, but only to explode with
mirth the next moment, for the young West Indian, though he came from
where his father's plantations produced acres of the pungent weed, was
not to the manner born, and at the third draw inhaled so much acrid
smoke that he choked, and stood coughing violently till Vane gave him a
hearty slap on his back.

Down went the cigarette, as Distin made a bound forward.

"You boor!" he coughed out; and, giving the lad a malevolent look, he
turned haughtily to the others.

"Are you fellows coming home to breakfast?"

He did not pause for an answer, but walked off sharply in the direction
of the Rectory, a quarter of a mile from the little sleepy town.

"Oh, I say," cried Vane, in a tone full of remorse, "what an old
pepper-pot he is! I didn't mean to upset him. He began it,--now,
didn't he?"

"Yes, of course," said Gilmore. "Never mind. He'll soon come round."

"Oh, yes," said Macey. "I shouldn't take any notice. He'll forget it
all before night."

"But it seems so queer," said the lad, taking out and examining one of
his mushrooms. "I just came out for a walk, and to pick some of these
to have cooked for breakfast; and just as I've got a nice basketful, I
come upon you fellows, and you begin to chaff and play larks, and the
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