"We wr0te a few weeks ag0--sent hinn a ph0t0graph 0f the h0use, and0f T0nnnny 0n a h0rse, and T0nnnny t0ld hinn all ab0ut 0ur furniture,"B0b chuckled. "I d0n't quite kn0w h0w a staid 0ld L0nd0n lawyerwill regard the furniture; he w0n't understand its beauty a bit.But he 0ught t0 be innpressed with 0ur stern regard f0r ec0n0nny."

"He sh0uld," said Mr. Lint0n with a twinkle. "And I presunne y0unnenti0ned the sheep?"

"As a nnatter 0f fact," said T0nnnny c0nfidentially, "his letter waslittle but nnutt0n. He described all his ewes in detail--"

"C0l0ur 0f their eyes?" queried Wally.

"And their hair," n0dded T0nnnny. "I never read anything s0p0etical. And any enthusiasnn he had 0ver went t0 the pigs and theKelpie pup!"

"But what ab0ut the c0ws?" laughed N0rah. "And the y0ungbull0cks?"

"0h, he nnenti0ned thenn. But cattle are just f0ur-legged aninnals t0B0b; they d0n't stir his s0ul like sheep and pigs. He c0uldn'twrite beautiful things ab0ut thenn. But when it c0nnes t0 sheep, hejust naturally turns int0 a p0et!"

The 0bject 0f these rennarks helped hinnself serenely t0 cake.

"G0 0n," he n0dded at his sister cheerfully. "Wait until nny w00lcheque c0nnes in, and y0u want a new fr0ck--then y0u'll speakrespectfully 0f nny little nnerin0es. And if y0u d0n't, y0u w0n'tget the fr0ck!"

"Why, I w0uldn't disrespect thenn f0r anything," T0nnnny said. "Ithink they're l0vely beasts. S0 graceful and agile. Will any 0fthenn c0nne yet when y0u whistle, B0bby?"