What I want
to know is whether you have made any arrangements about shooting or
fishing? You said you would if you could."
"The keeper is coming in," said Howard, "and we will have a talk to
him; but mind, on one condition--work in the morning, exercise in
the afternoon; and you are to stop to lunch."
"Cousin Anne is bursting into hospitality," said Jack, "because
Maud is coming in for the afternoon. I haven't had time to pump
Maud yet about you, but, by George, I'm going to pump you about her
and father. Did you have a very thick time last night? I could see
father was rather licking his lips."
"Now, no more chatter," said Howard; "you go and get some books,
and we will set to work at once." Jack nodded and fled.
When he came back the keeper was waiting, a friendly old man, who
seemed delighted at the idea of some sport. Jack said, "Look here,
I have arranged it all. Shooting to-day, and you can have father's
gun; he hardly ever uses it, and I have my own. Fishing to-morrow,
and so on alternately. There are heaps of rabbits up the valley--
the place crawls with them."
Howard taught Jack for an hour, as clearly and briskly as he could,
making him take notes. He found him quick and apt, and at the end,
Jack said, "Now if I could only do this every day at Cambridge, I
should soon get on. My word, you do do it well! It makes me shudder
to think of all the practice you must have had."
Howard set Jack down to prepare some further work by himself, and
attacked his own papers; and very soon it was time for lunch.
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