"All right."
"John Oakley!" said Mr. Huxter, from below.
"Here, sir," said John.
"Just get down, and bring that basket with you. We'll go under the trees and have a bite."
John followed directions, and the two sat down together, with the basket between them.
"Travelling is hungry work," said Mr. Huxter. "Let's see what my sister has put up for us."
The basket, being uncovered, proved to be full of sandwiches, with a few doughnuts on top. They were all excellent of their kind; for Mrs. Oakley, whatever might be said of her in other respects, was a good house-keeper, and took care that whatever food was prepared in the house should be good.
"Now, Oakley," said Mr. Huxter, "we needn't have any ceremony here. Just make yourself at home and pitch in."
It may be observed that Mr. Huxter was gradually beginning to treat John with greater familiarity. When first introduced, he had addressed him as "Mr. Oakley." Next it was "John Oakley." Now it was "Oakley," without any prefix. John, who had no inordinate sense of his own dignity, was not much disturbed by this, but continued to treat Mr. Huxter with the same outward respect as at first.