smile. "Hullo, I've never seen you since the election.
Heartiest grats," the boy called cheerily. Eloquent went up to him and
held out his hand. He looked up and down the street, no one was within
earshot. "I've a favour to ask you, Mr Ffolliot," he said in a low
tone, "but you must promise to refuse at once if you have any
objection."

Grantly leant down to him, smiling more broadly than ever. "That's
awfully decent of you," he said, and he meant it.

Again Eloquent cast an anxious look up and down the street. "They've
asked me to kick-off at the match on Saturday, and . . . you'll think
me extraordinarily ignorant . . . I've no idea what one does. Can I
learn in the time?"

Eloquent's always rosy face was almost purple with the effort he had
made.

Grantly, on the contrary, appeared quite unmoved. He fixed his eyes on
his horse's left ear and said easily: "It's the simplest thing in the
world. All we want is a field and a ball, and we've got both at home.
At least . . . not a soccer ball--but I don't think that matters. When
will you come?"

"When may I come?"

"Meet me this afternoon in the field next but one behind the church.
There's never anyone there, and we'll fix it up."

"All right," said Eloquent. "Many thanks . . . I suppose you think it
very absurd?" he added nervously.

This time Grantly did not look at Mafeking's left ear, he looked
straight into Eloquent's uplifted eyes, saying slowly:

"I don't see that I'm called upon to think anything about it. You've
done another kind thing in asking me. Why should you think I don't see
it?"

And in spite of himself Eloquent mumbled, "I beg your pardon."

"This afternoon then, at three-thirty sharp--good-day."

A loafer hurried up at this moment and Grantly swung off his horse and
ran up the steps into the bank.

Eloquent looked after the graceful figure in the well-cut riding
clothes and sighed--

"If I'd been like himself he'd have asked me to hold his horse while he
went in, but things being as they are, he wouldn't," he reflected
bitterly.

* * * * * *

Only one belonging to a large family knows how difficult it is to do
anything by one's self.

That afternoon it seemed to Grantly that each member of the Manor House
party wanted him for something, and he offended every one of them by
ungraciously refusing to accompany each one in turn.

His mother and Mary were driving into Marlehouse and wan