V

           Assoonashehadcomeupquiteclosehesaid,mouthinginagrowl—

           “What’sthisIhear,Whalley?Isittrueyou’resellingtheFairMaid?”

           CaptainWhalley,lookingaway,saidthethingwasdone—moneyhadbeenpaidthatmorning;andtheotherexpressedatoncehisapprobationofsuchanextremelysensibleproceeding.Hehadgotoutofhistraptostretchhislegs,heexplained,onhiswayhometodinner.SirFredericklookedwellattheendofhistime.Didn’the?

           CaptainWhalleycouldnotsay;hadonlynoticedthecarriagegoingpast.

           TheMaster-Attendant,plunginghishandsintothepocketsofanalpacajacketinappropriatelyshortandtightforamanofhisageandappearance,struttedwithaslightlimp,andwithhisheadreachingonlytotheshoulderofCaptainWhalley,whowalkedeasily,staringstraightbeforehim.Theyhadbeengoodcomradesyearsago,almostintimates.AtthetimewhenWhalleycommandedtherenownedCondor,EliotthadchargeofthenearlyasfamousRingdoveforthesameowners;andwhentheappointmentofMaster-Attendantwascreated,Whalleywouldhavebeentheonlyotherseriouscandidate.ButCaptainWhalley,thenintheprimeoflife,wasresolvedtoservenoonebuthisownauspiciousFortune.Faraway,tendinghishotirons,hewasgladtoheartheotherhadbeensuccessful.TherewasaworldlysupplenessinbluffNedEliottthatwouldservehimwellinthatsortofofficialappointment.