"Hullo!" said Mr. Kenyon; "why, you are not eating any of your fish!"
"No, father. Ng has spoiled them."
"Spoiled? Nonsense; the curry is delicious."
"But I don't want to be always eating curry, father. I told him to fry them."
"Better leave him to do things his own way, my boy, and have some. They are very good. The Chinese are a wonderfully conservative people. They begin life running in the groove their fathers ran in before them, and go on following it up to the end of their days, and then leave the groove to their sons. Did you catch all these?"
"No; Phra caught more than I did. He is more patient than I am."
"A great deal, and with his studies too."
"Yes, father; I say, the fish are better than I thought."
"I was talking about the Prince being more patient over his studies than you are, Hal," said Mr. Kenyon drily.
"Yes, father," said the lad, reddening.