cope with the heritage of Babel were
better known to us than he imagined. More than once his efforts to
extract from strangers that information which was his due, and at the
same time, like a juggler of many parts, to keep the balls of Dignity
and Courtesy rolling, had been overheard, and had afforded us
gratification so pronounced as to necessitate the employment of
cushions and other improvised gags if our faithful servant's feelings
were to come to no harm.

"I'll go," said Jill and Adele simultaneously.

We all went, and we were all just in time to see our visitor precede
the Sealyham in the direction of the lodge.

Aghast at such ill-timed pleasantry, we erupted pellmell into the
drive, all frantic by word or deed to distract the terrier from his
purpose. Shrieks, curses, and a copy of _La Fontaine's Fables_ were
hurled simultaneously and in vain at our favourite, and it was Berry,
to whom the fear of further acquaintance with the emporiums of Pau must
have lent wings, who actually overtook and discomfited the pursuer some
three yards from the road.

It was with feelings of inexpressible relief that we presently beheld
the three returning--Berry alternately rebuking the Sealyham, who was
under his arm, and apologising to his guest, the latter wide-eyed,
something out of breath, and anything but easy, and Nobby apparently
torn between an aggressively affectionate regard for his captor and a
still furiously expressed suspicion of the stranger within our gates.

As the trio drew nigh--

"It is Monsieur Planchet," called Berry. "He's brought some things for
us to see. His man's behind with a barrow."

With beating hearts we trooped back into the house....

As I returned from thrusting Nobby into a bedroom, Monsieur Planchet's
hireling staggered into the hall, a gigantic basket-trunk poised
precariously upon his hunched shoulders.

The inspection was held in the drawing-room.

It was rather late in the day to assume that nonchalant air which has,
from time immemorial, adorned the armouries of all accomplished
hucksters.

Our instant recognition of the salesman, our energetic solicitude for
his safety, and our obvious anxiety to dissociate ourselves from the
policy of direct action adopted by the terrier, had not only betrayed,
but emphasised, the fact that the sailor's arrival was very much to our
taste. Clearly, if we did not wish to pay through the nose for what we
purchased, our only course was to