sovereigns. But she had a feeling, somewhat obscure, that such a
happening should not confuse a red Deeping; therefore she did not say
anything about it.

She and the Lump were still at tea when the Honourable John Ruffin
returned from his golf and joined them. She told him of the coming of
the grand duke, of his thanks for the improvement in Prince Adalbert's
health, and of the eleven splendid golden sovereigns.

"And very nice too. I congratulate you," said the Honourable John
Ruffin cheerfully.

"Thank you," said Pollyooly.

"I always have heard that the grand duke is a very decent sort, as well
as being astute; and this proves it," he said.

"But it does seem such a lot for the little I've done. I could have
done a lot more, if I'd known," said Pollyooly in a tone of discomfort.

"Not a bit of it," said the Honourable John Ruffin in a confident tone.
"As what you've done goes, eleven golden sovereigns isn't a penny too
much for it. I haven't observed the treatment; but I have no doubt
that you're making another boy of Prince Adalbert."

"Well, he does look better and he does get about quicker than he did,"
said Pollyooly slowly, weighing her words.

"Well, that's a good deal," said the Honourable John Ruffin in an
encouraging tone.

"And he is a little brighter too, though he does only grunt; and of
course he behaves better; he doesn't knock the other children about
like he used to."

"Well, there you are," said the Honourable John Ruffin, in the tone of
one completely satisfied.

"Oh, but he is slow!" Pollyooly protested. "It would take weeks and
weeks to really do anything with him--weeks and weeks."

"But what can you expect?" said the Honourable John Ruffin amiably.
"The red Deepings were notable people, ruling a county, and hacking and
hewing the best people in four counties round, when the ancestors of
the prince were swineherds in a Prussian forest. And those ancestors
stayed in that forest for five hundred years after that. Prince
Adalbert doesn't throw back more than a hundred and fifty years. If a
red Deeping produced an Adalbert, he would throw back six hundred and
fifty years; and it isn't done."

"Yes," said Pollyooly politely, though she did not follow at all his
abstruse dissertation.

"So you see you needn't feel overpaid at all," he said.

"No," said Pollyooly in the tone of one perfectly satisfied.

"Besides, if you do, you can always put in a little more training."