"Walker!" said Claud, contemptuously. Garstang laughed merrily, and while Wilton and his wife frowned and shook their heads at their son, he turned to Kate. "It is of no use to preach to young people," he said, "but what I say is the truth. Not that I object to a bit of pleasure, Claud, boy. I'm looking forward to a few hours with you, my lad--jolly ones, as you call them, and as I used. How about the pheasants?" "More than you'll shoot." "Sure to be. My eye is not so true as it was, Maria." "Stuff! You look quite a young man still." "Well, I feel so sometimes. What about the pike in the lake, Claud? Can we troll a bit?" "It's chock full of them. The weeds are rotten and the pike want thinning down. Will you come?" "Will I come! Indeed I will; and I'd ask your cousin to come on the lake with us to see our sport, but it would not be wise. How is the bay?" "Fit as a fiddle. Say the word and I'll have him round if you're for a ride." "After lunch, my dear, after lunch," said Mrs Wilton. "Yes, after lunch I should enjoy it," said Garstang. "Two, sharp, then," said Claud. "Yes, two, sharp," replied Garstang, consulting his watch. "Quarter to one now." "Yes, and lunch at one." "By the way," said Garstang, "Harry said he had been down here, and you gave him some good sport. I'm afraid I have made a mistake in tying him down to the law." Wilton moved uneasily in his chair and darted an angry look at his wife, who began to fidget, and looked at Kate and then at her son. Garstang did not seem to notice anything, but smiled blandly, as he leaned back in his chair. "Oh, yes, he blazed away at the pheasants," said Claud, sneeringly; "but he only wounded one, and it got away." "That's bad," said Garstang. "But then he has not had your experience, Master Claud. It's very good of you, though, James, to have him down, and of you, Maria, to make the boy so welcome. He speaks very gratefully about you." "Oh, it isn't my doing, John Garstang," said the lady, hurriedly; "but of course I am bound to make him welcome when he comes;" and she uttered a little sigh as she glanced at her lord again, as if feeling satisfied that she had exonerated herself from a serious charge. "Ah, well, we'll thank the lord of the manor, then," said Garstang, smiling at Kate. "Needn't thank me," said Wilton, gruffly. "I don't interfere with Claud's choice of companions. If you mean that I encourage him to come and neglect his work you are quite out. You must talk to Claud." "I don't want him," cried that gentleman. "But I think I understood him to say that you had asked him down again." "Not I," cried Claud. "He'd say anything." "Indeed! I'm sorry to hear this. In fact, I half expected to find him down here, and if I had I was going to ask you, James, if you thought it would be possible for you to take him as--as--well, what shall I say?--a sort of farm pupil." "I?" cried Wilton, in dismay. "What! Keep him here?"