“Down at the cottage, Sir Francis.”
“Humph!” ejaculated Sir Francis. “Have you seen his collection, Brownsmith?”
“Yes, Sir Francis; he has a great many—butterflies and moths.”
“Humph! Sugar the trees, eh?”
“Yes, sir,” I said quickly.
“And do you know that he goes down the garden of a night?”
“Yes, Sir Francis, often,” said Mr Solomon.
“Isn’t it enough to tempt him to take the pears?”
“No, Sir Francis,” replied Mr Solomon boldly. “I might just as well say to you, ‘Isn’t it enough to tempt him to take the grapes or the peaches to trust him among them alone.’”
“He did steal the peaches when he first came. I caught him at it,” cried Philip viciously.