d his collar flapping about,
where it was undone.

Then Noel said, 'Haste, ere yet it be too late.' So I said to Lord
Tottenham--

'Stand still, aged sir, and I will endeavour to alleviate your
distress.'

He stood still, and I stooped down and caught hold of Pincher and
whispered, 'Drop it, sir; drop it!'

So then Pincher dropped it, and Lord Tottenham fastened his collar
again--he never does change it if there's any one looking--and he said--

'I'm much obliged, I'm sure. Nasty vicious brute! Here's something to
drink my health.'

But Dicky explained that we are teetotallers, and do not drink people's
healths. So Lord Tottenham said, 'Well, I'm much obliged any way. And
now I come to look at you--of course, you're not young ruffians, but
gentlemen's sons, eh? Still, you won't be above taking a tip from an old
boy--I wasn't when I was your age,' and he pulled out half a sovereign.

It was very silly; but now we'd done it I felt it would be beastly mean
to take the old boy's chink after putting him in such a funk. He didn't
say anything about bringing us up as his own sons--so I didn't know what
to do. I let Pincher go, and was just going to say he was very welcome,
and we'd rather not have the money, which seemed the best way out of it,
when that beastly dog spoiled the whole show. Directly I let him go he
began to jump about at us and bark for joy, and try to lick our faces.
He was so proud of what he'd done. Lord Tottenham opened his eyes and he
just said, 'The dog seems to know you.'

And then Oswald saw it was all up, and he said, 'Good morning,' and
tried to get away. But Lord Tottenham said--

'Not so fast!' And he caught Noel by the collar. Noel gave a howl, and
Alice ran out from the bushes. Noel is her favourite. I'm sure I don't
know why. Lord Tottenham looked at her, and he said--

'So there are more of you!' And then H. O. came out.

'Do you complete the party?' Lord Tottenham asked him. And H. O. said
there were only five of us this time.

Lord Tottenham turned sharp off and began to walk away, holding Noel by
the collar. We caught up with him, and asked him where he was going, and
he said, 'To the Police Station.' So then I said quite politely, 'Well,
don't take Noel; he's not strong, and he easily gets upset. Besides, it
wasn't his doing. If you want to take any one take me--it was my very
own idea.'

Dicky behaved very well. He said, 'If you take Oswald I'll go too, but
don't take Noel;