like those! The horror of it
chilled his blood.

Apparently the woman, with swift intuition, read his thought for she
dimpled at him in friendly fashion.

"Do not worry about your hands, my boy," said she. "You have been
doing useful things to soil them, things to bid us welcome and make us
more comfortable. I can see you started out clean. I have a boy of my
own, you know. Richard," she went on, turning to a tall youth who was
bending over the luggage, "this is Walter King who is coming to look
after the kennels. He must be about your age."

The boys stared at each other awkwardly.

"I am fifteen," announced Walter for the lack of something more
brilliant to say.

"I beat you by a year," was the shy retort of the other boy. "I am
sixteen."

Then Nancy interrupted them with her breezy comment.

"Fifteen, are you?" she put in. "My, I should not have thought it! You
must be pretty crazy about dogs to give up all your summer vacation to
them."

"My mother needs the money," was the simple answer.

"Oh!"

He saw her blush as if regretting her thoughtless remark.

"It is nice of you to help your mother," she observed quickly. "I am
sure you will not find the place so bad. We shall try to make you
happy."

With that she was gone but she left behind her a memory of sweetness
and appealing kindliness.

"You might run out to the garage now, sonny," declared Jerry with a
desire to help the lad make his escape. "They will be landing the pups
there soon, and you may as well be on hand."

Only too glad to beat a retreat His Highness picked up his cap and
slipping from the room raced across the lawn in the direction of his
own quarters.

CHAPTER V

THE CONQUEST OF ACHILLES

Jerry's prediction proved to be quite true for as His Highness neared
the garage a hum of activity pervaded it. Four mud-caked cars stood in
the driveway and chauffeurs in their shirt sleeves hurried in and out
the building, shouting to one another and carrying in their hands
grimy rags and cans of oil. A short half hour had transformed the
quiet spot to a beehive of noise and bustle. The rush seemed
contagious for wherever one looked moving figures could be seen. Some
crossed the lawn bearing belated satchels or traveling wraps which in
the confusion had found their way into the wrong place; some strode
toward the boathouse, some toward the garden, some to the stables. Men
appeared to have risen through the earth so quickly had the