"It's been a nest-egg," said Buff in a final manner, and began to write in a small book.
Elizabeth remarked that Buff was a tiresome little boy about his food, and that there might come a time when he would think regretfully of the good food he had wasted. "And what are you writing?" she finished.
"It's my diary," said Buff, putting it behind his back. "Father gave it me. No, you can't read it, but Arthur can if he likes, 'cos he's going away"; and he poked the little book into his friend's hand.
Arthur thanked him gravely, and turned to the first entry:
New Year's Day.
Good Rissolution. Not to be crool to gerls.
The other entries were not up to the high level of the first, but were chiefly the rough jottings of nefarious plans which, one could gather, generally seemed to miscarry. On 12th August was printed and emphatically underlined the announcement that on that date Arthur Townshend would arrive at Etterick.
That the diary was for 1911 and that this was the year of grace 1913 troubled Buff not at all: years made little difference to him.
Arthur pointed this out as he handed back the book, and rubbing Buff's mouse-coloured hair affectionately, quoted:
"Poor Jim Jay got stuck fast in yesterday."