Private Hollis gradually got so "thick" with Private Stanning that they began to discuss things in an intellectual way, politics one time, education another, so on and so on, until one evening they found themselves talking of Art. As Melia knew, Private Hollis had a feeling for Art. Many an hour had he spent in the City Museum, looking at its collection of famous pictures; and he told Private Stanning of the water color he had done of the Sharrow at Corfield Weir, inspired by the great work on the same subject of his celebrated namesake Stanning, R.A., which had been bought by the City Authorities for the fabulous sum of a thousand guineas.... Over the walnuts and the wine Private Hollis began to chuckle hugely as his great Bloomer came back to his mind in all its entrancing details.... P.H. When I first see the price mentioned in the _Evening Star_ I says to my Missus that's the way they chuck public money about. No picture was never painted, not a Hangelo nor even a Lord Leighton that was ever worth a thousand guineas. It's a fancy price. P.S. 'Tis in a way. A matter of sentiment, I suppose. P.H. Just what I said to the Missus. However, being a bit of a critic I went to examine that picture for myself. And would you believe it, Stanning--I'm not saying this to flatter you because the chap who done it has the same name as yours--when I see that picture it fair knocked me endways. You see I know every yard of Corfield Weir; in my time I've had more than one good fish out of it; and as soon as I set eyes on it, I said to myself, "Stanning R.A.'s a fisherman. He's chosen one of them gray days that's good for barbel." I give you my word, he'd got just the proper light coming out of the valley and stealing along the Sharrow. Only an artist and a fisherman could have done it. P.S. Did you ever get bream there? P.H. I should say so. And I've had trout in my time. P.S. Trout? P.H. I'm talking of twenty years back. But to resume. I see at a glance why the City Authorities had paid a thousand guineas for that picture. It was not because Stanning, R.A., was a local man; it was pure merit and I felt very glad it was so. P.S. Glad you thought so. P.H. You know, of course, that Stanning, R.A., is Blackhampton born? P.S. So I've heard. P.H. Born in that old house with the high-walled garden along Blue Bell Hill that was pulled down to widen the road. P.S. That so? P.H. By the way, Stanning, is he a relation of yours? Of course, it's a very common name in the City. P.S. Ye--es, I suppose he is in a way. P.H. That's something to be proud of. I'm not saying it to flatter you, but at this minute I'd rather be Stanning, R.A., than any one else in the wide world. Private Stanning laughed like a good one.