THE BISHOP OF BARCHESTER 



IT ain't always easy to tell a gentleman, sir, 

 because often they is when they ain't. And 

 then, again, there's no mistakin' it, and 

 that's the kind the capt'in was." 

 "Captain who?" I asked, tactlessly. Judson 

 regarded me with an air of astonishment which 

 put me conspicuously in a class by myself. 



"Capt'in Ponsonby, sir!" Judson's manner 

 informed me that there could be but one captain 

 and that my faux pas was well-nigh unpardonable. 

 I endeavored to redeem my fall from grace. 



"Oh, of course. Captain Ponsonby," I nodded, 

 knowingly, "to be sure, and you were saying?" 

 His expression was that of one not to be easily 

 gulled, his head on one side — then, satisfied of my 

 good faith, he scratched a match on the seat of his 

 trousers and puffed at his little stub of a pipe. 



"The capt'in, sir, as everyone knows" — he 

 emphasized the last words a trifle for my benefit — 

 "is the best all-around man on a 'orse in Hengland 

 — or hout of it" he added, lest the desired impres- 

 sion be insufficient. 



84 



