ve had
been given.

A few minutes of filling up cartridge-belts and fastening _reims_ to
saddles, and other preparations, and the sporting party was ready.

"Good luck, father. Good luck, Mr Blachland," said Lyn, as she stood
watching them start.

"That ought to bring it," answered the latter, as he swung himself into
his saddle. But Hermia was not among those who were outside. Percival,
who had been, had dived inside again Blachland did not fail to notice.
He emerged in a moment, however, looking radiantly happy and brimming
over with light-hearted spirits.

"Now, Hilary, old chap, we can have a yarn," he said, as they started,
for the others had the start of them by a hundred yards or so. "So
you're stopping with Bayfield? If only I'd known that, wouldn't I have
been over to look you up. Good chap Bayfield. Nice little girl of his
too, but--not much in her, I fancy."

"There you're wrong, Percy. There's a great deal in her. But--how did
you fall in with Earle?"

"Knew him through another Johnny I was thick with on board ship, and he
asked me over to his place. Had a ripping good time here, too. I say,
what d'you think of that Mrs Fenham? Fancy a splendid woman like that
spending life hammering a lot of unlicked cubs into shape. Isn't it
sinful?"

"Why didn't you say you were coming out, Percy? Drop a line or
something?" went on his relative, feeling unaccountably nauseated by
what he termed to himself the boy's brainless rattle.

"Drop a line! Why, that's just where the joke comes in! We none of us
knew where on earth you were exactly. In point of fact, I came over
here to find you, and by George I have! Never expected to find you so
easily, though."

"Nothing wrong, eh?"

"No. But Uncle Luke is dying to see you again. He said I must be sure
and bring you back with me."

The other looked surprised. Then his face softened very perceptibly.

"Is that a fact, Percy? Why, I thought he never wanted to set eyes on
me again as long as he lived."

"Then you thought jolly well wrong. He does. So you must just make up
your mind to go home when I do."

"Why are you so keen on it, Percy? Why, man, it might be immeasurably
to your advantage if I never went back at all."

"Look here, Hilary, if you really mean that, I'm not a beastly cad yet."

"Well, I don't really mean it," said the other, touched by the young
fellow's chivalrous single-heartedness. "Perhaps we may bring off your
sc