ted a huge cookery-book which
lay on a shelf in the window. "We shall require another cake for tea,"
he said, and then proceeded to read the recipe aloud, keeping an
observant eye upon the cook as she weighed out the various
ingredients.

"And the kitchen meals, sir?" she asked, as he locked up the
store-room.

"Make what you have do," he said, "make what you have do."

"But there is hardly meat enough to go round once, sir."

"You must make it do. People are much healthier and happier when they
do not eat too much."

This ceremony over, he went to the poultry-yard, followed by Beth (who
carefully kept in the background), the yard-boy, and the poultry-maid
who carried some corn in a sieve, which she handed to her master when
he stopped. Uncle James scattered a little corn on the ground, calling
"chuck! chuck! chuck!" at the same time, in a dignified manner.
Chickens, ducks, turkeys and guinea-fowl collected about him, and he
stood gazing at them with large light prominent eyes, blandly, as if
he loved them--as indeed he did when they appeared like ladies at
table, dressed to perfection.

"That guinea-fowl!" he decided, after due consideration.

The yard-boy caught it and gave it to the poultry-maid, who held it
while Uncle James carefully felt its breast.

"That will do," he said. "Quite a beauty."

The yard-boy took it from the poultry-maid, tied its legs together,
cut its throat, and hung it on a nail.

"That drake!" Uncle James proceeded. The same ceremony followed, Uncle
James bearing his part in it without any relaxation of his grand
manner.

When a turkey-poult had also been executed, he requested the yard-boy
to fetch him his gun from the harness-room.

"We must have a pigeon-pie," he observed as he took it.

Beth, in great excitement, stalked him to the orchard, where there was
a big pigeon-house covered with ivy. In front of it the pigeons had a
good run, enclosed with wire netting when they were shut in; but they
were often let out to feed in the fields. The yard-boy now reached up
and opened a little door in the side of the house. As he did so he
glanced at Uncle James somewhat apprehensively. Uncle James, with a
benign countenance, suddenly lifted his gun and fired. The yard-boy
dropped.

"What is the matter?" said Uncle James.

The yard-boy gathered himself up with a very red face. "I thought you
meant to shoot me, sir."

Uncle James smiled gently. "May I ask when it became customary f