oh, long ago, when we lived at Hammersmith, he had a pistol,
and he used to strew crumbs in the garden for the sparrows, and shoot at
them out of the pantry window; he frequently hit one."

"Well," said the colonel, not much impressed by these sporting
reminiscences, "don't go rolling over our Bingo by mistake, you
know, Weatherhead, my boy. Not but what you've a sort of right after
this--only don't. I wouldn't go through it all twice for anything."

"If you really won't take any more wine," I said, hurriedly, addressing
the colonel and Travers, "suppose we all go out and have our coffee
on the lawn? It--it will be cooler there." For it was getting very hot
indoors, I thought.

I left Travers to amuse the ladies--he could do no more harm now; and,
taking the colonel aside, I seized the opportunity, as we strolled up
and down the garden path, to ask his consent to Lilian's engagement to
me. He gave it cordially. "There's not a man in England," he said, "that
I'd sooner see her married to after to-day. You're a quiet, steady young
fellow, and you've a good kind heart. As for the money, that's neither
here nor there; Lilian won't come to you without a penny, you know. But
really, my boy, you can hardly believe what it is to my poor wife and me
to see that dog. Why, bless my soul, look at him now! What's the matter
with him, eh?"

To my unutterable horror, I saw that that miserable poodle, after
begging unnoticed at the tea-table for some time, had retired to an open
space before it, where he was industriously standing on his head.

We gathered round and examined the animal curiously, as he continued to
balance himself gravely in his abnormal position. "Good gracious, John,"
cried Mrs. Currie, "I never saw Bingo do such a thing before in his
life!"

"Very odd," said the colonel, putting up his glasses; "never learned
that from _me_."

"I tell you what I fancy it is," I suggested wildly. "You see, he was
always a sensitive, excitable animal, and perhaps the--the sudden joy of
his return has gone to his head--_upset_ him, you know."

They seemed disposed to accept this solution, and, indeed, I believe
they would have credited Bingo with every conceivable degree of
sensibility; but I felt myself that if this unhappy animal had many more
of these accomplishments I was undone, for the original Bingo had never
been a dog of parts.

"It's very odd," said Travers, reflectively, as the dog recovered his
proper level, "bu