“I want it to be obliterated,” said Mrs. Graves; “but I don’t feel equal to doing it.  Oh, well, we mustn’t get solemn over it; that’s the mischief!  But I mustn’t keep you gentlemen from more serious pursuits—­’real things,’ I believe, Jack?”

“Mr. Kennedy has been sneaking on me,” said Jack.  “I don’t like to see people mean and spiteful.  It gives me pain.  I want all that obliterated.”

“This is what happens to my pupils,” said Howard.  “Come on, Jack, you shall not expose my methods like this.”

They went off with the old keeper, who carried a bag of writhing ferrets, and was accompanied by a boy with a spade and a line and a bag of cartridges.  As they went on, Jack catechised Howard closely.

“Did my family behave themselves?” he said.  “Did you want them obliterated?  I expect you had a good pull at the Governor, but don’t forget he is a good chap.  He is so dreadfully interested, but you come to plenty of sense last of all.  I admit it is last, but it’s there.  It’s no joke facing him if there’s a row! he doesn’t say much then, and that makes it awful.  He has a way of looking out of the window, if I cheek him, for about five minutes, which turns me sick.  Up on the top he is a bit frothy—­but there’s no harm in that, and he keeps things going.”

“Yes,” said Howard, “I felt that, and I may tell you plainly I liked him very much, and thought him a thoroughly good sort.”

“Well, what about Maud?” said Jack.

Howard felt a tremor.  He did not want to talk about Maud, and he did not want Jack to talk about her.  It seemed like laying hands on something sacred and secluded.  So he said, “Really, I don’t know as yet—­I only had one talk with her.  I can’t tell.  I thought her delightful; like you with your impudence left out.”

“The little cat!” said Jack; “she is as impudent as they make them.  I’ll be bound she has taken the length of your foot.  What did she talk about? stars and flowers?  That’s one of her dodges.”

“I decline to answer,” said Howard; “and I won’t have you spoiling my impressions.  Just leave me alone to make up my mind, will you?”

Jack looked at him,—­he had spoken sharply—­nodded, and said, “All right!  I won’t give her away.  I see you are lost; but I’ll get it all out of you some time.”

They were by this time some way up the valley.  There were rabbit burrows everywhere among the thickets.  The ferrets were put in.  Howard and Jack were posted below, and the shooting began.  The rabbits bolted well, and Howard experienced a lively satisfaction, quite out of proportion, he felt, to the circumstances, at finding that he could shoot a great deal better than his pupil.  The old knack came back to him, and he toppled over his rabbits cleanly and in a masterly way.

“You are rather good at this!” said Jack.  “Won’t I blazon it abroad up at Beaufort.  You shall have all the credit and more.  I can’t see how you always manage to get them in the head.”