“By sight only. The big fellow in flannels is Lord Lundie; the light-built one with the yellow beard painted his picture at the last Academy: He's a swell R.A., James Loman.”
“And the brown chap with the hands?”
“Tomling, Sir Christopher Tomling, the South American engineer who built the—”
“San Juan Viaduct. I know,” said Penfentenyou. “We ought to have had him with us.... Do you think a monkey would climb the tree?”
The organ-grinder at the gate fenced his beast with one arm as Jimmy talked.
“Don't show off your futile accomplishments,” said Lord Lundie. “Tell him it's an experiment. Interest him!”
“Shut up, Bubbles. You aren't in court,” Jimmy replied. “This needs delicacy. Giuseppe says—”
“Interest the monkey,” the brown engineer interrupted. “He won't climb for love. Cut up to the house and get some biscuits, Bubbles—sugar ones and an orange or two. No need to tell our womenfolk.”
The huge white figure lobbed off at a trot which would not have disgraced a boy of seventeen. I gathered from something Jimmy let fall that the three had been at Harrow together.
“That Tomling has a head on his Shoulders,” muttered Penfentenyou. “Pity we didn't get him for the Colony. But the question is, will the monkey climb?”