Aimlessly the child wandered round to the back of the house, where a row of splendid rabbit-hutches with pedigreed inhabitants claimed his attention for a few brief moments. There was nothing to do there, for the lad specially engaged to attend to their wants had just given them their morning meal, and each silky creature was already contentedly nibbling the tender cabbage leaves so plentifully provided for their repast. To excite Pat by inviting him to put his nose through the wire netting was the only interest in that quarter, and as the dog sensibly refused to respond, there was nothing for it but to go further afield. For about half an hour Julius watched the cleaning of the great sixty-horse-power car, amusing himself by executing a series of deafening hoots upon the motor horn to the distraction of the chauffeur, who had learnt only too well that to remonstrate only meant a prolongation of the din. From the garage to the stables was the next move, and the order was given to saddle the new pony. "I’m going to take Prince over those hurdles again," Julius remarked as John led the beautiful animal out of its stall. "You’d better come to the field to set them up for me." "The vet said as how Prince had been too hard set at them last time, sir, seeing as he strained his off foreleg a bit," replied the groom, "and the master he told me he didn’t wish the pony to jump again for a while, though he was all right for a quiet ride." "What’s the fun of a pony that can’t jump?" exclaimed the boy impatiently. "I don’t want to walk about the roads as if I was at a funeral. I won’t ride at all if I can’t try the hurdles, so you may take the stupid beast away." "There’s Red Rover, sir, if you want another horse. I’ll saddle him in a jiffey, and he’s a rare one at a gallop, even though he’s not so light at the fences as Prince." Julius eyed the smart little cob that had been his favourite mount till the new-comer arrived upon the scene, and felt half inclined to follow the friendly advice. But after all, what was the good of going for a gallop when there was nowhere special to gallop to, and no one to gallop with except John, who was apt to be surly if you went too fast? So he shook his head. "I don’t want Red Rover," he said. "They’re a rotten lot, all of them. I’ll get father to give me a stronger pony next time, that won’t strain its silly old legs by jumping over a footstool." Turning his back upon the stable yard he made his way slowly into the lane. "I wish the new tutor was here," he said to himself, "even old Finney would be better than nobody. I think I’ll go to Timothy Green’s cottage and see how far the cliff has broken away. Father seemed to think it was going pretty fast. I wonder if some day the house will really topple over on to the beach."