"Speaking for myself, I'd love to have them around," Mrs. Beltrán assured her. "They remind me of the old days and I am sure Anita will like to have them."
"Indeed I shall," responded Anita. "Tell us their names, Lillian."
"The Pom is named Haddon Hall, Lord Haddon Hall, because he is so lordly, but he has several nicknames; Nibs, is the favorite, for the boys began calling him 'his nibs.' He was sent to me by a friend who lives near Haddon Hall, and I generally call him Haddie, rather nice name, we think; not too common. Tibbie calls him Addie, which is disgracefully feminine for such a gentlemanly person. The other one, I regret to say, has a bar sinister, is not quite pure breed, and he realizes it, but he is a dear. His name is Tommy Atkins for he is missus' ickle sojer boy. I'll show you how he can shoulder a gun and he can hurrah for the king, too."
"I'd love to see him play soldier," cried Anita.
"You shall see. Come out and he shall show you his tricks." She whistled to the dogs and they followed her to the garden where she put Tommy through his paces. He sat up somewhat waveringly on his hind legs and shouldered the stick his mistress brought. "He looks rather a meek Tommy, doesn't he?" said Lillian, eyeing him critically. "Hims mus' put more animation into 'spression," she chided. "Lively, Tommy, lively, now!" And Tommy settled himself more firmly on his hind legs, pricked up his ears and tried to look as if alertly enjoying himself.
"Good dog!" cried Anita.
"Hims was a brave sojer," said Lillian. "Hims mus' have lumps of sugar. Will Cousin Anita get Tommy lumps of sugar?"
Anita ran into the house and came back well provided, so that Tommy enjoyed an ample reward. Then Lillian, in rather a throaty, but not unsweet voice, began singing "God Save the King," keeping time with the stick, Tommy watching eagerly and at the last words joining in with three sharp yelps. This performance demanded another lump of sugar and Tommy was free to follow Haddie, whom he had been furtively watching as he nosed about the flower beds.
"What can Haddie do?" inquired Anita, still interested.
"Oh, nothing specially. He is a gentleman, you see, and doesn't have to earn his living. Tommy knows he is in the ranks and he drops his H's like Tibbie, and always calls the cat 'Otspur, just as she does."