188 THE CRUISE OF THE ROVER CARAVAN

white about her, with a broad blaze adown her huge
honest face, she looked very beautiful. But she had
been taught to keep to her corner, and she never
disobeyed orders.

On Carleton’s shoulders Kammy always went, and
was much admired and marvelled at. He wore a
light gold band around his body, and to this a slender
chain of the same metal, which was attached to Car’s
buttonhole. So there was thus no danger of his wan-
dering away.

At dessert, Lady Bute was permitted to walk round
the table, and she amused everybody by asking a
blessing before touching anything she was offered.

This was a trick Carleton had taught her;* she
simply bent the fore part of her body, until chest and
chin touched the ground, then once more stood erect—
expectant.

What with fishing expeditions out to sea, visits to
fishermen’s cottages, long rambles in search of wild
flowers, and those little outings in the evening, the
time passed most delightfully away.

The horses were not neglected. The Major used to
bring them down at early morning to have a bath.
He rode on Dick Swiveller, or Dandy Dick, as people
here called him, and Hang trotted on in front or
brought up the rear, very often getting into mischief.
Once, for instance, he kicked over a milk-cart; another
morning he performed the same kind offer for a fisher-
man’s trolly. In fact, Hans was always in hot water.

* All the author’s dogs ask a blessing thus, before eating their
food.