"Up to time, Mr. Vernon--got your name right at last, eh? None the worse
for the hop last night, I suppose? Don't look any, anyway. That's a good
nag you're riding. Bred him yourself, eh? Gad! It's the best way, if
it's the dearest."

He called for a groom to take the horse, and bade Drake come in to
breakfast.

"You'll find nobody down, and we shall have it all to ourselves. That's
the worst of women: keep 'em up half an hour later than usual, or upset
their nerves with a bit of a row or anything of that kind, and, by
George! they've got to lie abed the next morning! Now, help yourself to
anything you see--have anything else cooked if you don't fancy what's
here. I always toy with half a pound of steak, just to lay a foundation;
been my breakfast, man and boy, for longer than I can remember."

Drake ate his breakfast and listened to the genial old man--not very
attentively, it is to be feared, for he was thinking of Nell most of the
time--and when the baronet had demolished his steak, they went to the
farm, followed by the motley collection of dogs which had waited outside
with more or less patience for the reappearance of their master, and
welcomed him with a series of yappings and barkings which might have
been heard a mile off.

The farm was a good one, and Drake gradually got interested in the
really splendid cattle which Sir William exhibited with the enthusiasm
of a breeder. The morning slipped away, but though Drake glanced at his
watch significantly now and again, Sir William would not let him go;
and at last he said: "What's your hurry, Vernon? Why not ride to Shallop with me? You could
look around the town while I'm on the bench--unless you care to step
into court and see how we administer justice--hah! hah! it's only a few
'drunk and disorderlies' or a case of assault that we get nowadays; or
perhaps a petty larceny--anyway, you will ride into the town with me,
and we will have a bit of lunch together at the Crown and Scepter. No, I
won't take any refusal! To tell you the truth, I want to have a chat
with you about that last bull I showed you."