“She’s quite a nice kid,” said Bunny condescendingly.

Jake smiled, but the firmness remained.  “She’s not your sort, Sir Bernard Brian,” he remarked.  “And I rather guess she could teach you more than you could teach her.”

“What do you mean?” said Bunny.

Jake turned aside to shut the window in preparation for departure.  “Well, sonny,” he said in a marked drawl, “I guess I mean just that.  If you aren’t sharp enough to draw your own conclusions, that’s none of my business.”  He turned round and looked at Bunny with absolute directness.  “And that other proposition of mine,—­did I understand you to fall in with it?”

“Chuck racing for a year, you mean?” Bunny got up.  His face was still red, but it showed no resentment.  “It’s rather much, isn’t it, Jake?”

“Too much?” questioned Jake.

Bunny hesitated.  “Well, a year!  Make it three months!” he said coaxingly.

Jake came to him, square and resolute.  “I’ll make it six months, Bunny,” he said, “if you can tell me you didn’t drop more than fifty pounds this afternoon.”

Bunny turned crimson.  “This afternoon was an exception,” he said hastily.

“I thought so,” said Jake dryly.

“But—­damn it!—­it’s rather a heavy penalty to pay,” protested Bunny.  He thrust out an impulsive hand.  “I say, let me off, old feller!  I won’t do it again.”

Jake’s fingers closed and held.  He said nothing, merely waited.

And very suddenly—­after his own headlong fashion—­Bunny made unconditional surrender.  “Oh, get out, you beastly groom!” he said, and wrung Jake’s hand with all the force he could muster.  “All right!  It’s done!”

Jake made an odd movement as of tension relaxed though none had been apparent in his bearing.  He struck Bunny on the shoulder the blow of a friend.

“That’s the biggest thing you’ve ever done for me, pard,” he said with a smile.  “Reckon I shan’t forget it.  Take it out of me next time!”

“You bet I will!” said Bunny.

He linked his arm through Jake’s and gripped it hard.  His eyes were shining as they passed out together into the gathering dusk.  He had made a considerable sacrifice, but Jake had the gift of making him realize that it was worth while.

CHAPTER VIII

THE ALLY

A squeal of childish laughter echoed down the long passage that led from the nurseries, followed by a shuffling sound along the floor.

“Hold tight!” cried a voice, a gay, boyish voice, “I’m going to gallop!”

There followed a tremendous scrambling along the corridor and shrieks of delight from three excited children.  Jake, who had just mounted the stairs, paused in his progress; but in a moment there came a dramatic sound indicative of collapse, and immediately there arose cries of dismay.  He turned an intervening corner and came upon the newly-arrived guest quite prone upon the floor with his three little girls scuffling in delighted agitation over her inert body.