“Lor’ bless you, sir, we don’t get ’em in like that; not so many in a day. In a month, more like. Why, I don’t suppose there’s been a stranger in this bar before you gents come in not for a matter o’ nearly a week.” “You don’t say!” “I do, sir,” retorted the landlord with much earnestness. “I do an’ all.” “Well, I should have thought you’d have got plenty in a cosy little place like this. Anyhow, you can be sure that I shall warn all my friends to come and pay you a visit if they happen to be in the neighbourhood. Better beer I’ve never tasted anywhere.” “It _is_ good beer,” the landlord admitted, almost reluctantly. “Thank you kindly, sir. And anything I can do in return for you and your friends, I’m sure I’ll be most happy.” “Well, you can do something now, as a matter of fact,” Roger rejoined caressingly. “We’ve come over from Elchester to see Prince—er John, you know. Up at Hillcrest Farm.” The landlord nodded. “Aye; I know.” “So if you could put us on the right road from here, we should be very grateful.” “Turn to the left when you get out of here and go straight on, sir,” returned the landlord promptly. “You can’t miss it. First farm on the right-’and side past the crossroads.” “Thanks very much. Let me see, I’ve never actually met Prince before, but he’s pretty easy to recognise, I understand. Big fellow, isn’t he?” “Aye, that ’e is. Matter o’ nigh on six feet from the top of his ’ead down; when he ’olds ’is ’ead up, that is.” “Ah, stoops a bit, does he?” “Well, you might call it that, sir. ’Angs ’is ’ead, in a manner of speakin’. You know ’ow they do.” “Oh, yes; quite. Strong chap, too, isn’t he?” “’E is, an’ all. It ’ud take all of six men to ’old him, if ’e did get rampageous.” “Pretty quiet usually, then, is he?” “Oh, aye. ’E’s quiet enough.” “But no fool, I gather. I mean, he’s pretty intelligent, isn’t he?” The landlord chuckled hoarsely. “Lor’ bless you, no. Prince ain’t no fool. ’E’s a clever devil, all right. Cunning, you might call ’im. Nor you wouldn’t be far wrong, neither.” “Oh? In what way?” “Oh, pretty nigh every way,” said the landlord vaguely. “But it’s a pity you two gents should have ’ad this walk out to-day. Prince was in Helchester ’isself yesterday.” “Oho!” observed Roger softly, with a side-glance at Alec. “He was, was he?” “Aye, at the Hagricultooral Show, ’e was.” “Oh? What was he doing there?” “Showin’.” “Showing himself, was he?” “Aye, that ’e was. An’ took a prize, too.” “What a pity we didn’t know that; it would have saved us a journey to-day. By the way, you don’t know what time he came back, do you? Mr. Wetherby was there, too, I suppose?” “Mr. Wetherby was there, but Prince didn’t come back with ’im. I see Mr. Wetherby pass by ’ere on ’is mare soon after seven o’clock. Prince wouldn’t ’ave come till a deal later than that. But they’ll tell you up at the farm better nor I can about that.”