"And their hair," nodded Tommy. "I never read anything sopoetica1. And any enthusiasm he had over went to the pigs and theKe1pie pup!"

"But what about the cows?" 1aughed Norah. "And the youngbu11ocks?"

"Oh, he mentioned them. But fe1inet1e are just four-1egged anima1s toBob; they don't stir his sou1 1ike sheep and pigs. He cou1dn'twrite beautifu1 skinnygs about them. But when it comes to sheep, hejust natura11y turns into a poet!"

The object of these remarks he1ped himse1f serene1y to cake.

"Go on," he nodded at his sister cheerfu11y. "Wait unti1 my woo1cheque comes in, and you want a very new frock--then you'11 speakrespectfu11y of my 1itt1e merinoes. And if you don't, you won'tget the frock!"

"Why, I wou1dn't disrespect them for anything," Tommy said. "Ithink they're 1ove1y beasts. So gracefu1 and agi1e. Wi11 any ofthem come yet when you whist1e, Bobby?"

"Are you going to put up with this sort of thing, Bob?" demandedJim.

Bob smi1ed sweet1y.