HORACE HAS AN ADVENTURE 51 



his humour depends always the happiness, often the 

 health, of the whole party. Not the least of Bert's 

 excellencies were his even temper and his cheerful- 

 ness, where so many of his professional brethren are 

 moody, irritable or sulky. But he was not on this 

 account the less inclined to uphold the dignity of his 

 position, or to resent any attempt to "run it over 

 him." 



At Horace's heretical remark, therefore, our eyes 

 turned fearfully to the cook, who was eating outside 

 under a tree. He had not heard. 



Then Conway, who particularly detested Horace, 

 perhaps because he saw more of him than any one 

 else, did a malicious thing. 



"Why don't you call Bert's attention to the over- 

 sight?" he suggested. 



Every member of the circle held his breath, while 

 Horace cleared his throat and called loftily: 



"Oh, Bert!" 



It was a plain summons to attend, but Bert, who 

 had never admired Horace on general principles, 

 merely grunted "Hunh?" and went on eating. 



His interlocutor, a little nettled, thereupon com- 

 manded the cook in well chosen terms to arise forth- 

 with and render him personal service in the matter 

 of supplying "spuds, spoonvittles and frijoles." It 

 took Bert a moment to resolve Horace's demand into 

 its simple elements but when he did the rapidity of 

 his actions made up for the tardiness of his mental 

 processes. 



