A thrill of pleasure entered
the girl's heart, to her own genuine surprise.
"Are Tam and Jock at peace now?" she asked. "Tam and Jock are never at
peace. Jock is sedate and grave and old for his years, while Tam is
simply a human collie. He has the same endearing manners and
irresponsible mind. I had to fish him out of several rock-pools after
you left."
Alice laughed, and Lady Manorwater said in wonder, "I didn't know you
had met Lewie before, Alice."
"Miss Wishart and I forgathered accidentally at the Midburn yesterday,"
said the man.
"Oh, you went there," cried the aggrieved Arthur, "and you never told
me! Why, it is the best water about here, and yesterday was a
first-rate day. What did you catch, Lewie?"
"Twelve pounds-about four dozen trout."
"Listen to that! And to think that that great hulking chap got all the
sport!" And the boy intercepted his cousin's tea by way of retaliation.
Then Mr. Stocks had his innings, with Lady Manorwater for company, and
Lewis was put through a strict examination on his doings for the past
years.
"What made you choose that outlandish place, my dear?" asked his aunt.
"Oh, partly the chance of a shot at big game, partly a restless interest
in frontier politics which now and then seizes me. But really it was
Wratislaw's choice."
"Do you know Wratislaw?" asked Mr. Stocks abruptly.
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