The coughing became insistent, frantic, impossible to be disregarded....
As I was in the act of turning to express my concern Vandy looked up,
followed the direction of four starting eyes, and let out a screech of
dismay.
"What on earth's the matter?" cried Berry, getting upon his feet. "Been
stung, or something?"
With a trembling forefinger Vandy indicated the miscreant.
"Stop him!" he yelled. "Call him off. He'll-he'll spoil the lawn."
"Ruin it," shrilled Emma.
"Where?" said Berry blankly. "What lawn?"
"_This_ lawn!" roared Vandy, stamping his foot.
"But I thought----"
"I don't care what you thought. Call the brute off. It's my land, and I
won't have it."
"Nobby," said Berry, "come off the bowling green."
Scrambling to my feet, I countersigned the order in a peremptory tone.
Aggrievedly the terrier complied. My brother-in-law turned to Vandy with
an injured air.
"I fear," he said stiffly, "that we are unwelcome." Instinctively Emma
and May made as though they would protest. In some dignity Berry lifted
his hand. "I may be wrong," he said. "I hope so. But from the first I
felt that your manner was strained. Subsequent events suggest that my
belief was well founded.
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