bbed, didn't he, just as
father had one foot in the stirrup ready to mount?"

"Oh! Ha! Hum!" says Bentley. "Did Jack tell you all that, Pen?"

"Who else?" says she, "'twas you caught his bridle, wasn't it?"

"I? Hum! The bridle?" says Bentley, "why--egad, Pen--"

"And Uncle Dick caught father as he fell," she continued.

"Did Jack tell thee all that?" says Bentley.

"How should I know else?" says she.

"Lord!" says Bentley.

"And 'twas you caught the bridle, now, wasn't it?" says she, carelessly.

[Illustration: "Oh! Ha! Hum!" says Bentley, "did Jack tell you all that,
Pen?" _Page 80._]

"Why--er--since you mention it,--yes--I suppose so," mumbled Bentley,
"oh, yes, certainly I caught the bridle--surprisingly agile in one o'
my size, Pen, eh? But egad, the game waits--I must be off, but a kiss
first--for saving thy father for thee, Pen."

Waiting for no more, I turned and set off towards the house, but as I
once more reached the terrace, up comes Bentley behind me, whistling
lustily as usual.

"Why Dick," says he, "where have you sprung from?"

"Bentley," says I, shaking my head, "it's in my mind you've been a vasty
fool!"

"For what, Dick?"

"For catching that bridle!" says I. "Why on earth couldn't you be
content to let him trip down the steps as we agreed a week ago?"

"Why then, what of Jack's story of Saladin's jibbing--though strike me
purple, Dick, if I thought he had enough imagination."

"Do you think he did tell her so?" says I.

"To be sure he did, Dick, unless--"

"Humph!" says I, "let's go and ask him."

Side by side we entered the great hall, and side by side we came to the
door of the library; now the door was open, and from within came the
sound of Jack's voice.

"I tell thee 'twas nought but a stone, Pen," he was saying, "I say, an
ordinary, loose cobble-stone! Good Gad, madam, and why shouldn't it be
a cobble-stone? Gentlemen are forever twisting their ankles on
cobble-stones! I tell you--" Hereupon Bentley threw open the door, but I
entered first.

"No, no, Jack!" I cried, "'twas down the steps--you tripped down the
steps at 'The Chequers,' you know you did!"

"Nay, 'twas Saladin jibbed,--don't you remember?" says Bentley.

"Why, Dick and Bentley!" cries Jack, staring from one to the other of
us, "what a plague's all this? Don't I know how I hurt my own foot? I
say 'twas a cobble-stone, and a cobble-stone it shall be. Lord! how
could ye try to fill our maid's pretty head