CHAPTER XXVI. 



THE SCRIPTURAL CONEY. 

 The Hyrax An Interesting Family Birds of Prey. 



BY the time my fore-slaght was finished, " Chummy" 

 brought his folding-chair and took a seat beside 

 me. My friend had a most reassuring countenance, 

 and the manner in which he enjoyed his otium cum 

 dignitate was really comforting. His consumption 

 of cigarettes was enormous in fact, the quantity 

 of these romance-constructing trifles (for do they 

 not whisper memories of the languishing eyes and 

 graceful walk of signoritas mui bonita f) that he con- 

 demned daily to suffer from his inordinate love of 

 the weed, must have been a small fortune to dealers 

 in soothing, good-fellowship-promoting tobacco. How 

 daintily many a fair equestrian handles her switch, 

 how bewitchingly many a daughter of Eve uses her 

 fan ; but " Chummy " could almost rival both these 



