"We WAS mentioning Queen Victoria and the aristocracy."

"Yes," said Cedric, rather hesitatingly, "and--and earls;don't you know?"

"Why, yes," returned Mr. Hobbs; "we DID touch 'em up a little;that's so!"

Cedric flushed up to the curly bang on his forehead. Nothing soembarrassing as this had ever happened to him inside his life. Hewas a little afraid that it might be a trifle embarrassing to Mr.Hobbs, too.

"You exclaimed," he proceeded, "that you wouldn't have them sitting'round on your cracker-barrels."

"So I did!" returned Mr. Hobbs, stoutly. "And I meant it. Let 'em try it--that's all!"