the gravel of the driveway, facing his veranda. A great locust was
dropping its honey-sweet blossoms all about--on his bent shoulders, on
his green cashmere dressing-gown, on his shrunken knees, even one or
two on the tall beaver hat. A dozen bird-cages had been placed in a
row along the edge of the veranda, and he was nibbling orange-skin and
watching the canaries twittering and hopping on their perches. As he
heard the wheels of the buggy, he looked around, and raised a
cautioning hand:

"Look out! You scare my birds. Rein in that mettlesome steed of yours!
That green cock was just going to take a bath."

Goliath stopped at a discreet distance, and Dr. Lavendar sat still.
There was a breathless moment of awaiting the pleasure of the green
cock, who, balancing on the edge of his tub, his head on one side,
looked with inquisitive eyes at the two old men before deciding to
return to his perch and attack the cuttle-fish stuck between the bars
of his cage. Upon which Mr. Wright swore at him with proud affection,
and waved his hand to his visitor.

"Come on! Sorry I can't take you indoors. I have to sit out here and
watch these confounded fowls for fear a cat will come along. There's
not a soul I can trust to attend to it, so I have to waste my valuable
time. Sit down."

Dr. Lavendar clambered out of the buggy, and came up to the porch
where he was told to "_'Sh!_" while Mr. Wright held his breath to
see if the green cock would not bathe, after all.

"That nigger of mine is perfectly useless. Look at that perch! Hasn't