170 MEMOIR OF FLEEMING JENKIN 



comfited, he laughs a sort of Httle silver-whistle 

 giggle, which is trying to the unhappy blunderer.' 



' May 9th, — Frewen is deep in parachutes. I 

 beg him not to drop from the top landing in one 

 of his own making.' 



' June 6th, 1876. — ^Fre wen's crank axle is a 

 failure just at present — ^but he bears up.' 



^ June lUh. — The boys enjoy their riding. It 

 gets them whole funds of adventures. One of 

 their caps falling off is matter for delightful 

 reminiscences ; and when a horse breaks his 

 step, the occurrence becomes a rear, a shy or 

 a plunge as they talk it over. Austin, with 

 quiet confidence, speaks of the greater pleasure 

 in riding a spirited horse, even if he does give 

 a little trouble. It is the stolid brute that he 

 dislikes. (N.B. You can still see six inches 

 between him and the saddle when his pony trots.) 

 I listen and sympathise and throw out no hint 

 that their achievements are not really great.' 



' June ISth, — Bernard is much impressed by the 

 fact that I can be useful to Frewen about the 

 steamboat ' [which the latter irrepressible inventor 

 was making.] ' He says quite with awe, " He 

 would not have got on nearly so well if you had 

 not helped him." ' 



' June 27th, — I do not see what I could do with- 

 out Austin. He talks so pleasantly and is so truly 

 good all through.' 



