sire? He was got by Lambkin, you know."

"Lambkin," said Johnny, who had not as yet been able to learn much
about the Guestwick stock.

"Yes, Lambkin. The bull that we had the trouble with. He has just got
his sire's back and fore-quarters. Don't you see?"

"I daresay," said Johnny, who looked very hard, but could not see.

"It's very odd," exclaimed the earl, "but do you know, that bull has
been as quiet since that day,--as quiet as--as anything. I think it
must have been my pocket-handkerchief."

"I daresay it was," said Johnny;--"Or perhaps the flies."

"Flies!" said the earl, angrily. "Do you suppose he isn't used to
flies? Come away. I ordered dinner at seven, and it's past six now.
My brother-in-law, Colonel Dale, is up in town, and he dines with
us." So he took Johnny's arm, and led him off through the show,
calling his attention as he went to several beasts which were
inferior to his own.

And then they walked down through Portman Square and Grosvenor
Square, and across Piccadilly to Jermyn Street. John Eames
acknowledged to himself that it was odd that he should have an earl
leaning on his arm as he passed along through the streets. At home,
in his own life, his daily companions were Cradell and Amelia Roper,
Mrs Lupex and Mrs Roper. The difference was very great, and yet he
found it quite as easy to talk to the earl as to Mrs Lupex.

"You know the Dales down at Allington, of course," said the earl.

"Oh, yes, I know them."

"But, perhaps, you never met the colonel."

"I don't think I ever did."

"He's a queer sort of fellow;--very well in his way, but he never
does anything. He and my sister live at Torquay, and as far as I can
find out, they neither of them have any occupation of any sort. He's
come up to town now because we both had to meet our family lawyers
and sign some papers, but he looks on the journey as a great
hardship. As for me, I'm a year older than he is, but I wouldn't mind
going up and down from Guestwick every day."

"It's looking after the bull that does it," said Eames.

"By George! you're right, Master Johnny. My sister and Crofts may
tell me what they like, but when a man's out in the open air for
eight or nine hours every day, it doesn't much matter where he goes
to sleep after that. This is Pawkins's--capital good house, but not
so good as it used to be while old Pawkins was alive. Show Mr Eames
up into a bedroom to wash his hands."

Colonel Dale was much like his bro