Whether Trick thought the remark too derogatory to be passed over, or whether he was bent on mischief, certain it is that at this moment he trotted in from the garden door, and seeing his mistress in company with a strange man, flew at his heels.
"Put your feet up, Mr. Russell, anywhere. Trick will gnaw your heels if you don't. Please forgive him, but I never can break him of the habit. Trick! Trick!"
His Royal Highness had not obeyed, so that he found himself attacked as if his heels were two rats, with sudden darts at one and then the other. It was really a most unpardonable position to put one into. Lewis could not restrain his amusement as Toney made ineffectual dashes. His Royal Highness tried to kick the offender, which, of course, only increased the evil.
"Don't kick him, please; he'll never forgive you." Lewis came to the rescue as he had done once before, and seized Trick by his shaggy coat, whilst Toney ran to open the door wider.
"How can you, Trick, I am so ashamed of you! I assure you, Mr. Russell, he has not done it for years. I only hope he won't remember your kicks. He's terribly sensitive."
Mr. Russell looked more than annoyed. The grand manner had forsaken him, and Toney plunged into a business talk to help him to recover his calmness.
"I hope you have not found the letters tiresome."
"They are from various tradesmen, but I mean to put it all down in double entry, a system of my own."
"I think you'll find single entry enough," laughed Lewis, and then to Toney's delight he suggested the secretary coming for a stroll with him, and both men disappeared, but not through the garden door.
CHAPTER XIII.