CHAPTER XV 



BILLY'S AMBITION 



^^ Happy the man who with unrivalled speed 

 Can pass his felloivsP — Somervile. 



DURING the usual walk out with hounds one 

 I afternoon, in the declining days of the season, 

 Billy remarked : " I suppose you have just 

 about got up to the top hole of your ambition. Master ? " 



Joanna, appearing at the moment, asked, as she 

 kept Lavender and Beeswing back with a dainty 

 little riding-whip : '' Which ambition, and how do 

 you suppose ? " 



'^ Well, only his ordinary week-day desire, I mean, 

 something quite likely to be gratified, not anything 

 outside the possible. I guess what it is, and that now, 

 at the end of a successful season, he has pretty well 

 touched it." 



'' Perhaps," I put in ; ^^ and if you will tell me your 

 ambition, Bill, I may make a small confession." 



^' Right ; you go ahead first." 



** I'll tell you one of his pet desires," said Joanna, 

 continuing to ignore my presence. *' He wishes to 

 make a record in sport, but is not over-confident of 

 accomplishing it." 



'' What sort of a record ? " 



Her ladyship's permission to me to speak for myself 



152 



