164 AUGUST 



waiting on the doorstep to receive us with joyful 

 shouts of welcome. It is the master's custom 

 to share his tea with them in the early morning. 

 One morning Klinker drank his when put on the 

 floor, then watched the master preparing another 

 saucer for Nous; a little milk and a little sugar 

 well stirred, then put down on the floor. " Nous ! " 

 " Nous ! " called the master. Nous lay behind a 

 screen a little way off, and wouldn't come. 



" Nous ! here's your tea," again called the 

 master. " Here, Klinker ! go fetch Nous." Klinker 

 got up and with his head down in a rather grumpy 

 attitude, walked slowly straight across close to 

 Nous, and in his ear gave one short bark, no more ; 

 then came straight back and sat down. At once 

 Nous got up, and came and drank his tea, and the 

 master and I both burst into a laugh; it was so 

 quaint, and exactly as if they both understood. 

 Who shall say they did not ? 



20th. My gardening notes are very doggy this 

 month, but the rain is responsible for that. The 

 new fern-house is also at a standstill, but every- 

 thing that has been transplanted is growing exceed- 

 ingly. 



