"Yes, dear lady."
"Lose much?" she sniffed.
"Not a very great deal."
"Hah! And now you've got to raise the wind, somehow?"
He repeated, good-humouredly: "I want to make a living."
The trim little old lady darted another glance at him.
"Ha—ha!" she laughed, without giving any reason for the disagreeable burst of mirth; and started in on another muffin.
"I think," said Mr. Hammerton, vaguely, "that James will make an excellent agriculturist——"
"Excellent fiddlesticks!" observed Aunt Hannah. "He'd make a good three-card man."
Daisy Hammerton said aside to Desboro: