cart for me again, I will move on. Our business can no doubt be
finished off by letter."

George made no reply: it was evident that he could not trust himself
to speak, but, turning sullenly on his heel, walked towards the house.

"Wait a bit, Mr. Heigham," said Philip, who had been watching the
whole scene with secret delight. "You are perfectly in the right. I
will go and try to bring my cousin to his senses. I am very thankful
to your dog for killing that accursed brute."

He was away for about ten minutes, during which Arthur took Aleck to a
fountain there was in the centre of a grass plot in front of the
house, and washed his many wounds, none of which, however, were,
thanks to the looseness of his hide, very serious. Just as he had
finished that operation, a gardener arrived with a wheelbarrow to
fetch away the deceased Snarleyow.

"Lord, sir," he said to Arthur, "I am glad to have the job of tucking
up this here brute. He bit my missus last week, and killed a whole
clutch of early ducks. I seed the row through the bushes. That 'ere
dog of yours, sir, he did fight in proper style; I should like to have
a dog like he."

Just then the re-arrival of Philip put a stop to the conversation.
Drawing Arthur aside, he told him that George begged to apologize for
what had occurred, and hoped that he would not think of going away.

"But," added Philip, with a little laugh, "I don't pretend that he has
taken a fancy to you, and, if I were you, I should cut my visit