heir heads and bellowed a loud welcome.
They knew nothing of his troubles, and only expressed their extreme
pleasure at seeing him again. They left off eating the whole time he was
with them; for they were very well bred Shorthorns and Alderneys. It was
quite pleasant to see how well behaved they all were. And Mrs. Bumpkin
pointed out which ones had calved and which were expected to calve in the
course of a few months. And then the majestic bull looked up with an
expression of immense delight; came up to Mr. Bumpkin and put his nose in
his master's hand, and gazed as only a bull would gaze on a farmer who
had spent several weeks in London. It was astonishing with what
admiration the bull regarded him; and he seemed quite delighted as Mrs.
Bumpkin told her husband of the bull's good conduct in his absence; how
he had never broken bounds once, and had behaved himself as an exemplary
bull on all occasions.

"But," said Mrs. Bumpkin, "I be 'bliged to say, Tom, that there Mrs.
Snooks have belied him shamefully. She haven't got a good word to say
for un; nor, for the matter o' that, for anything on the farm."

"Never mind," said Mr. Bumpkin; "he bean't the only one as 'ave been
slandered hereabouts."

"No, Tom, sure enough; but we bean't 'bliged to heed un."

"No, nor wun't. And now here come Tim."

To see Tim run and bound and leap and put his paws round Mr. Bumpkin's
neck and lick him, was a sight which must have made up for a great deal
of the unkindness which he had experienced of late. Nor could any dog
say more plainly than Tim did, how he had had a row with that ill-natured
cur of Snooks', called Towser, and how he had driven him off the farm and
forbade him ever setting foot on it again. Tim told all about the
snarling of Towser, and said he would not have minded his taking Snooks'
part in the action, if he had confined himself to that; but when he went
on and barked at Mr. Bumpkin's sheep and pigs, against whom he ought to
have shown no ill-feeling, it was more than Tim could stand; so he flew
at him and thoroughly well punished him for his malignant disposition.

But in the midst of all this welcoming, there was an unpleasant
experience, and that was, that all the pigs were gone but two. The rare
old Chichester sow was no more.

"There be only two affidavys left, Nancy!"

"No, Tom--only two; the man fetched two yesterday."

"I hope they sold well. Have he sent any money yet?"

"Not a farthing,"