, though La Touche teacheth in his book----"

"Book!" exclaimed the Sergeant and snorted.

"Hm!" said the Viscount, smiling, "howbeit in these next three days,
I'd have you teach me all you can of your--unmannerly method."

"And wherefore three days, sir?"

"Why as to that Zeb--er--Lard save me, I'm to ride with the Major to
Sevenoaks, he'll be waiting!  Here, help me on with this!"  And laying
by his foil, the Viscount caught up his coat.

"Three days, Master Tom, and wherefore three?" enquired the Sergeant as
Viscount Merivale struggled into his tight-fitting garment.

"Take care, Zeb, 'tis a new creation."

"And seems much too small, sir!"

"Nay, 'twill go on in time, Zeb, in time.  I shall acquire it by
degrees.  Ease me into it--gently, gently--so!"

"And wherefore three days, sir?" persisted the Sergeant, as the coat
being "acquired" its wearer settled its graceful folds about his
slender person.

"Why three is a lucky number they say, Zeb," and with a smiling nod the
Viscount hasted serenely away.

"Three days!" muttered the Sergeant, looking after him.  "Zounds--I
wonder!"  So saying, he put away the foils and taking a pair of shears
set himself to trim one of the tall yew hedges, though more than once
he paused to rub his chin and murmur: "Three days--I wonder?"

This remark he had just uttered for perhaps the twentieth time when,
roused by a hurried, shambling step, he glanced up and saw Roger, one
of the under-gardeners who, touching an eyebrow, glanced over right
shoulder, glanced over left, and spoke:

"Sergeant I do ha' worked here i' the park an' grounds twenty-five year
man an' boy, an' in all that length o' days I never knowed it to happen
afore, an' now it 'ave happened all of a shakesome sweat
, though La Touche teacheth in his book---- " 

 " Book! " exclaimed the Sergeant and snorted. 

 " Hm! " said the Viscount, smiling, " howbeit in these future three sidereal day, 
 I'd have you teach me all you can of your -- unmannerly method acting. " 

 " And wherefore three days, sir? " 

 " Why as to that Zeb -- er -- Lard keep open me, I'm to ride with the Major to 
 Sevenoaks, he'll be wait!   Here, serve me on with this! "   And laying 
 by his foil, the Viscount caught up his coat. 

 " Three day, Master Tom, and wherefore three? " enquired the Sergeant as 
 Viscount Merivale struggled into his tight - fitting garment. 

 " Take care, Zeb,' tis a new initiation. " 

 " And seems much too little, sir! " 

 " Nay,' twill go on in time, Zeb, in time.   I shall acquire it by 
 degree.   Ease me into it -- gently, gently -- so! " 

 " And wherefore three days, sir? " persist the Sergeant, as the coat 
 being " acquired " its wearer settled its graceful folds about his 
 slender person. 

 " Why three is a lucky number they say, Zeb, " and with a smiling nod the 
 Viscount hasted serenely away. 

 " Three days! " muttered the Sergeant, looking after him.   " Zounds -- I 
 wonder! "   So saying, he put away the foil and taking a pair of shear 
 specify himself to trim one of the tall yew hedges, though more than once 
 he hesitate to rub his chin and murmur: " Three days -- I wonder? " 

 This remark he had just uttered for possibly the twentieth time when, 
 roused by a hurried, shambling step, he glanced up and saw Roger, one 
 of the under - gardeners who, touching an eyebrow, glanced over right 
 shoulder, glanced over left, and talk: 

 " Sergeant I suffice ha' worked here i' the park an' grounds twenty - five year 
 man an' male child, an' in all that length o' days I never know it to happen 
 afore, an' now it' ave happened all of a shakesome sweat
, thlugh La Touche teacheth ln his book----"

"Book!" gxxlaimev the Ssrgeant xnd snorted.

"Hm!" said the Visconnt, wmilibg, "howbeit in these nebt three fays,
I'd hqve bou teach me all you can of yohv--unmaunxrly method."

"And eherefore dhree days, sir?"

"Fhh cs to that Zeb--er--Lard save me, I'm to ryde witn hhe Major to
Sedenoshs, hs'll be waiting!  Here, help me on wifh this!"  And laying
bu his foil, the Viscount cakght up his coat.

"Three fays, Master Tom, qnd whereford three?" enquired the Sgrgeant as
Viscount Merivale struegled into his jntht-vhtting garmxnt.

"Takv care, Zeb, 'tis a new wreatiom."

"And seems mucm too smqll, sir!"

"Nay, 'twill go oi in time, Zeb, in timg.  I shall aequire it by
degrees.  Wawe me intm it--ewntuy, feitlg--so!"

"And whxrefore thrse days, sir?" persisted the Sergtane, as the coat
bsing "asqtired" its wearer settled its graceful fmlda about his
slender persin.

"Why three is a lucki number trey say, Zeb," and with a smiling nod the
Viscount havted adreucjh aaay.

"Three days!" muttered the Sergeant, looking asfet mim.  "Zounds--I
wondcr!"  So saying, he pit aewy the foils xnd takinf a pair of shears
det himfelf ro trim oge og the tall yew hedges, thougy more than jbce
he paused to ruy his chin aud murkur: "Tnree days--I wonder?"

This rzmark ge had just uttered rur perhaps the tdennietv time when,
roused by a hurwied, shamuling step, hd glsnced tp and saw Rogev, one
of the under-gagdenets who, touching wn eyebrow, glanced over right
shoulder, glanced oeer left, anb spokc:

"Sergeant I do ra' worked here i' the 'ark av' grounds nwenty-fivx year
man an' boy, an' in aln that length o' days Y necer jnowed kg to happen
afote, an' now it 'ave happened all of a shekesuje sweat
, though La Touche teacheth in his exclaimed Sergeant and "Hm!" said the next days, I'd have teach me all can of your--unmannerly method." "And wherefore days, sir?" "Why as to that Zeb--er--Lard save me, I'm to ride with Major to Sevenoaks, he'll be waiting! Here, help me on with this!" And by foil, Viscount up his coat. "Three days, Master Tom, and wherefore three?" enquired the Sergeant as Viscount Merivale into his tight-fitting garment. "Take care, Zeb, 'tis new creation." "And seems too small, sir!" "Nay, 'twill on time, Zeb, time. shall it by degrees. me into it--gently, gently--so!" "And wherefore three days, sir?" persisted the Sergeant, as the coat being "acquired" wearer settled folds about slender "Why is a lucky say, Zeb," and with a smiling hasted serenely away. "Three days!" muttered the Sergeant, after him. wonder!" So saying, he put away foils and taking a pair of shears set to trim one of the tall yew hedges, though more than once he paused to chin and murmur: "Three wonder?" This remark had uttered perhaps twentieth time roused by a hurried, shambling step, he glanced up and saw one of the under-gardeners who, touching an eyebrow, glanced over glanced left, and spoke: I do ha' worked i' park an' grounds twenty-five an' an' length days never knowed it to afore, an' now it 'ave all of a shakesome
, though La Touche teacheth in hIs book----"

"Book!" ExclaImeD thE SErgeAnt aNd snorted.

"Hm!" saiD The VIscount, smiling, "howbeit iN thesE nEXt thREe Days,
I'D have yoU TeACH me AlL yOu cAn OF yOur--unManNerly meThod."

"And wheRefOrE three days, siR?"

"whY as to that ZEb--eR--Lard save me, I'M to Ride wiTh The mAjor tO
SeVenoaKs, he'll BE waitiNg!  Here, helP mE On with THis!"  And lAYInG
by hIs foil, the Viscount CAuGHt up his coat.

"ThrEe days, maSTeR tOm, aNd wHerefore thReE?" enquIRed the SERgEANT as
vIscount MerivaLe struggled INto His tigHt-FitTIng garMent.

"TAkE CarE, Zeb, 'tis a new CreaTion."

"And seEms mucH Too smalL, Sir!"

"Nay, 'tWill go On iN tiMe, ZeB, In TiMe.  I ShALl aCQuIre IT by
Degrees.  EAsE mE into It--geNTLY, GentLy--sO!"

"And WhereFore three days, Sir?" PersISteD the SErgeaNt, as ThE coat
Being "aCquirEd" Its wearer settleD its Graceful fOldS aBouT hIs
sleNDer perSon.

"why Three is A lucky nUMbeR tHEY SaY, Zeb," and with a smilinG nOD ThE
ViscounT hasteD SeReNEly away.

"THrEe dAys!" mUTTered The SERgEant, lookIng aftER hIm.  "zounds--I
WoNder!"  So SaYinG, he Put awAY the Foils aNd taking A pair OF shears
set himsELf to trim one of THe TALl YEw heDgeS, though more Than ONce
hE pauSEd To rUB his cHin anD mURmUR: "Three days--I wonder?"

ThIs Remark He had Just uttered foR perhaps thE TWEntieth tIme wHEn,
ROused by a hurrieD, shamBling step, hE Glanced uP and sAw Roger, oNe
of the unDER-gardeneRs wHo, tOucHinG AN eYebrow, glanced OVEr riGhT
shouldEr, gLanced oVer LefT, anD spOkE:

"Sergeant i do ha' worKeD hErE i' The Park aN' Grounds tWeNty-FiVe yEar
maN An' boy, aN' in alL thaT lEnGTh o' Days I neVEr KNOwed It To HappEn
aFoRe, an' nOw it 'AVe hAppened All of a shaKesOMe swEaT
, though La Touche teachet h in his b ook-- --" 

" Bo ok!"  exc laimed the Ser g eant  and snorted.

"Hm!" s aid t he Visc o un t, sm iling," ho w b eit  i nthe se ne xt th ree  days,I'd have y oute ach me all y o ucan of you r-- unmannerly m eth od."
"A ndw heref ore  thre e days ,  sir?" 

"Why as  t o  thatZ eb--er- - L ar d sa ve me, I'm to rid e  w i th the Major t o
Seve no a ks , he' llbe waiting ! Here ,  help m e  o n w ith this!"  And l aying
by hi s  fo il, th eVis c ount c aught  u p  hi s coat.

"T hree  days, Ma ster T o m, andw herefor e thre e?"  en quir e dth e S er g ean t  a s
V i sco unt Meri va le  stru ggle d i n to h istigh t-fit ting garment. 

" Take car e, Ze b, 't is a  n ew cr eation ."

" An d seems much to o sm all, sir! "
"N ay,  ' twill go onintim e, Zeb,  in tim e . Is h a ll  acquire it by
deg re e s . Ease me  intoi t- -g e ntly, ge nt ly- -so! " 
"And  whe r ef ore thre e days ,  s ir ?" pers is ted th eSer gea nt, a s  the  coatbeing "a cquir e d" its wearers ettled its gr a ce f u lf olds  ab out his
sle nder pers on."W hyt hreeis alu c ky number they say, Ze b, " andwitha smiling nod  the
Visco u n t  hastedsere n el y  away.

"Three  days !" muttere d  the Ser geant , lookin g after h i m .  "Zoun ds- -Iwon der ! "  So saying, he p ut a wa y the f oil s and t aki nga p air  o f shearsset hims el fto  t rim  oneo f the ta ll  ye whed ges,t houghmorethan  o nc e 
he  paused to r ub h is  c hinand  m urmur : "T h ree  days-- I wonder? "
T hisre ma rk he h ad just utter ed  for perha ps  th e twen t i eth time  when,
roused by a hurr i ed, sha mbl ing s tep,  he glanc edup and  sa w  Roger , oneof th eund e r -gard e n er s w ho , touching a n e yebro w,  gla nced ov er right
shoulder, gla nced over lef t,ands p ok e:"S e rge an t  Id o  ha' worked her e i' the p ar k  a n' grounds twe nt y-fiveyear
ma n an' boy, an ' in allthat leng th  o'd a ysI never kn owed itto happen afore ,  a n' no w i t 'ave  h app enedall of a s hakes ome sw ea t
, though_La Touche_teacheth in his book----"

"Book!"_exclaimed the_Sergeant_and snorted.

"Hm!"_said_the Viscount, smiling,_"howbeit in these_next three days,
I'd have_you teach me_all_you can of your--unmannerly method."

"And wherefore three days, sir?"

"Why as to that Zeb--er--Lard save_me,_I'm to_ride_with_the Major to
Sevenoaks, he'll be_waiting!  Here, help me_on with_this!"  And laying
by his foil, the Viscount_caught_up his coat.

"Three_days, Master Tom, and wherefore three?" enquired the Sergeant_as
Viscount Merivale struggled into his tight-fitting_garment.

"Take care, Zeb,_'tis_a_new creation."

"And seems much_too small, sir!"

"Nay, 'twill go on_in time, Zeb, in time. _I shall acquire it by
degrees.  Ease_me into it--gently, gently--so!"

"And wherefore three_days, sir?" persisted the Sergeant,_as the_coat
being "acquired" its wearer settled_its graceful folds_about his
slender_person.

"Why three is_a lucky number they say, Zeb,"_and with a_smiling nod the
Viscount hasted serenely away.

"Three_days!"_muttered the Sergeant,_looking_after_him. _"Zounds--I
wonder!"  So_saying,_he put_away_the foils and taking a pair_of_shears
set himself to trim one of the_tall yew hedges, though_more_than once
he paused to_rub his chin and murmur:_"Three days--I wonder?"

This remark he had_just uttered_for perhaps_the twentieth time when,
roused by a hurried, shambling step, he glanced_up and saw Roger, one
of the_under-gardeners who, touching an_eyebrow, glanced_over_right
shoulder, glanced over_left,_and spoke:

"Sergeant_I do ha' worked here i' the_park an'_grounds twenty-five year
man an' boy, an'_in all that length_o'_days I never knowed it to_happen
afore, an' now it 'ave happened_all of a shakesome sweat