SHOOTING 25 



most eminent financiers, and the ruin of an enter- 

 prise to which the former had devoted much 

 time and thought. 



One morning in London Sir Noel happened to 

 come down rather earlier than usual to break- 

 fast, and hastened to the side-board to help him- 

 self to a plateful of cold ham, a dish of which 

 he was inordinately fond. He was accompanied 

 by " Jet," who immediately sat up on its 

 hind-legs and signified in the customary canine 

 fashion a desire to share its master's meal. With 

 that kindliness which ever distinguished him, 

 and was indeed his chief stumbling-block 

 through life, my uncle proceeded to cut off the 

 outside slice of ham — the " fly walk " he faceti- 

 ously termed it — and was about to hand it to the 

 hungry hound when he perceived that Lady 

 Biffin had entered the dining-room and was 

 watching him suspiciously from the threshold. 

 Loath to be caught in the act of disobeying his 

 wife's oft-repeated injunctions. Sir Noel had 

 sufficient presence of mind to thrust the frag- 

 ment of meat into his pocket, hum a few appro- 

 priate bars from " La Traviata," and murmur 

 some felicitous remark or other on the in- 

 clemency of the weather. 



Breakfast passed without further incident, 

 and shortly afterwards my uncle entered his 

 brougham and was driven off to the City, where 



