"Fairly," he agreed, doubling up his biceps. "You said I had a good fortune. How do you know that?"
"By the feel," she answered. She took him by the wrist again and seemed lost in wonder. "Think of what you'd like," she said.
He shut his eyes and conjured up his favourite vision. A great industrial centre; a huge machinery shop; teeming workmen, strong and greasy; and himself in the centre, thinking, feeling, living for it all.
"Oh!" she said.
He opened his eyes to find her gazing at him in open wonder and astonishment.
"Have you ever had a wild rabbit in your hands and felt its heart beat?"
"Can't say that I have."
"I have. And a weasel and a stoat with their heads tied. And cats and dogs and birds and all sorts. You feel like a dog, a trained fighting dog when he's going to fight—and win."
He smiled, somewhat indulgently. "Very probably," he said. "I'm a bit of a sportsman, football, and that sort of thing, you know. I've got a pistol in there; I put in time shooting rats along the river bank when I'm by myself and not reading."
"Come on down by the river bank now and I'll show you some birds' nests. I found them to-day."