as English a spirit as anybody,"
said the Major.

This was lucky for Captain Puffin: he had thought it likely that he
would say just that, and had got a stinger for him.

"And it worries you to find that your hopes are doomed to
disappointment," he swiftly said.

Major Flint stepped in a puddle which cooled his foot but not his
temper.

"Most offensive remark," he said. "I wasn't called Sporting Benjy in the
regiment for nothing. But never mind that. A worm-cast----"

"It wasn't a worm-cast," said Puffin. "It was sheep's dung!"

Luck had veered here: the Major had felt sure that Puffin would
reiterate that utterly untrue contention.

"I can't pretend to be such a specialist as you in those matters," he
said, "but you must allow me sufficient power of observation to know a
worm-cast when I see it. It was a worm-cast, sir, a cast of a worm, and
you had no right to remove it. If you will do me the favour to consult
the rules of golf----?"

"Oh, I grant you that you are more a specialist in the rules of golf,
Major, than in the practice of it," said Puffin brightly.

Suddenly it struck Sporting Benjy that the red signals of danger danced
before his eyes, and though the odious Puffin had scored twice to his
once, he called up all his powers of self-control, for if his friend was
anything like as exasperated as himself, the breeze of disagreement
might develop into a hurricane. At the moment he was passing through a
swing-gate which led to a short cut back to the town, but before he
could take hold of himself he had slammed it back in his fury, hitting
Puffin, who was following him, on the knee. Then he remembered he was a
sporting Christian gentleman, and no duellist.

"I'm sure I beg your pardon, my dear fellow," he said, with the utmost
solicitude. "Uncommonly stupid of me. The gate flew out of my hand. I
hope I didn't hurt you."

Puffin had just come to the same conclusion as Major Flint: magnanimity
was better than early trains, and ever so much better than bullets.
Indeed there was no comparison....

"Not hurt a bit, thank you, Major," he said, wincing with the shrewdness
of the blow, silently cursing his friend for what he felt sure was no
accident, and limping with both legs. "It didn't touch me. Ha! What a
brilliant sunset. The town looks amazingly picturesque."

"It does indeed," said the Major. "Fine subject for Miss Mapp."

Puffin shuffled alongside.

"There's still a lot of talk going on in th