could not help feeling proud, of having such a grand creature
belonging to me, though there might be a little dread of what he
would do next.

In the morning all seemed like a dream, for Dora had vanished,
leaving no trace but her black bag; but while I was dressing a
tremendous cackling among my bantams caused me to look out, when I
beheld them scurrying right and left at sight of the kangaroo leaping
after the three strangers, and my cat on the top of the garden wall
on tiptoe, with arched back, bristling tail, and glassy eyes, viewing
the beast as the vengeful apotheosis of all the rats and mice she had
slaughtered in her time.

>From the stairs I heard Dora scouting her brother's orders to tidy
herself for breakfast, adding that Harry never did, to which he
merely replied, "I shall now. Come."

There was a sound of hoisting, that gave me warning rather
fortunately, for he came striding upstairs with that great well-grown
girl of eight perched on his shoulder as if she had been a baby, and
would have run me down if I had not avoided into the nook on the
landing.

All that day and the next those three were out; I never saw them but
at meals, when they came in full of eager questions and comments on
their discoveries in farming and other matters. These were the early
bright days of spring, and they were out till after dark, only
returning to eat and go to bed. I found the fascination of Harold's
presence was on all the servants and dependents, except perhaps our
bailiff Bullock, who disliked him from the first. All the others