"Don't run him down then," said Will; "but he is getting to be an old curmudgeon all the same." "He has been with your father a long time." "What, old Boil O?" said Will, who had begun to draw in. "Oh, yes, years and years. He used to be a very good sort of a chap, but of late something's made him as cross as a bear." "Perhaps he doesn't like you calling him Boil O," said the artist, taking out his book and carefully selecting a fresh fly, fastening the other in his hat. "Oh, he doesn't mind that," said Will. "Besides, it's his name, or was his name before it was changed to Drinkwater." "I wish I could find out what has upset him," said the artist. "It's nonsense, Mr Manners," said Will. "Old Boil O was always like that at times, and he's as close as--as anything. He gets some pepper in him somehow. But he will come round. He always does. It's just his way. He's a strange chap. Fancy his creeping about after you like that." "I take it as a compliment," said the artist, smiling. "Drinkwater and I are very good friends." "Well, my father likes him," said Will, "and thinks he's a very good workman, but his rough manners--" "You are not speaking of me, I hope?" said the artist. "Speaking of you! No. But my father says that he often feels irritated by him." "Ah!" said the artist, reflectively. "He never shows them to me when we have a pipe together at night. He is a very interesting character, Will. Of course, as somebody said, `manners makyth man--'" "Oh," said Will, "I thought Manners made pictures." "No wonder you lost that fish," said the artist, dryly, "if you waste your time making bad jokes." CHAPTER NINE. A QUEER CHARACTER. "Old Boil O's in a regular rage," said Josh, laughing. "Well, but he hasn't been talking to you about it, has he?" replied Will. "Yes; said your father must be getting off his head to go and buy up such a miserable ramshackle piece of rubbish. It was only fit to knock to pieces and sell for old copper." "Old Drinkwater had better keep his tongue quiet," said Will, shortly, "or he'll make my father so much off his head that he will give him what he calls the sack." "Nonsense! Your father would not turn away such an old servant as that." "He wouldn't like to, of course," said Will, loftily; "but Boil O has grown so precious bumptious, and he doesn't care to do this, and he doesn't care to do that. I believe he thinks he's master of the whole place." "Well, he always was so ever since I can remember; but--tchah!--your father would not turn him away. My father says he is the most useful man he ever knew. Why, he's just like what we say when we count the rye-grass: soldier, sailor, tinker, tailor--you know."