d at the door.

"Yes. Come by all means," said Jack; "perhaps we shall be able, by your
help, to talk of something besides fighting Frenchmen."

While he spoke, L'Estrange had risen, and approached to shake hands with
her.

"Sit down with us, Nelly," said Augustus, "or George will get no
dinner."

"Give me a chair, Drayton," said she; and, turning to her brother,
added, "I only came in to ask some tidings about an unlucky foreigner;
the servants have it he was cruelly hurt, some think hopelessly."

"There's the culprit who did the mischief," said Temple, pointing to
Jack; "let him recount his feat."

"I 'm not to blame in the least, Nelly. I took a smashing high bank, and
the little Frenchman tried to follow me and came to grief."

"Ay, but you challenged him to come on," said Temple. "Now, Master
Jack, people don't do that sort of thing in the hunting-field."

"I said, 'Come along, monsieur,' to give him pluck. I never thought for
a moment he was to suffer for it."

"But is he seriously hurt?" asked she.

"I think not," said L'Estrange; "he seemed to me more stunned than
actually injured. Fortunately for him they had not far to take him,
for the disaster occurred quite close to Duckett's Wood, where he is
stopping."

"Is he at Longworth's?" asked Augustus.

"Yes. Longworth met him up the Nile, and they travelled together for
some months, and, when they parted, it was agreed they were to meet here
at Christmas; and though Longworth had written to apprise his people
they were coming, he has not appeared himself, and the Frenchman is
waiting patiently for his host's arrival."

"And laming his best horse in the mean while. That dark bay will never
do another day with hounds," said Temple.

"She was shaky before, but she is certainly not the better of this
day's work. I 'd blister her, and turn her out for a full year," said
Augustus.

"I suppose that's another of those things in which the French are our
superiors," muttered Jack; "but I suspect I 'd think twice about it
before I 'd install myself in a man's house, and ride his horses in his
absence."

"It was the host's duty to be there to receive him," said Temple, who
was always on the watch to make the sailor feel how little he knew of
society and its ways.

"I hope when you've finished your wine," said Ellen, "you'll not steal
off to bed, as you did the other night, without ever appearing in the
drawing-room."

"L'Estrange shall go, at all even