Page 159 - Fairbrass

family, and made it my business to study
character.'

i Lived in a gentleman's family?' said
Fairbrass doubtfully.

' Ves,’ said the Hedgehog arrogantly;
‘ the fact is I'd had a bit of a row with

the old folks at home, and as things were
not too comfortable there, I answered an

advertisement, and accepted an engagement
as head blackbeetle-killer to a family of title*'

* You conceited thing, you 11 cried Fair­
brass ; * what you really mean is that you

were caught, no doubt very much against
your will, and taken to somebody's house,

half as a curiosity and half as a pet, and
that, having a liking for beetles, and finding

them, you ate them/
1 You may say and think what you

choose,’ said the Hedgehog. 1 The fact
stands as 1 put it. I accepted an engage­

ment ; and having earned and learned all
I wanted, in due course I sent in my

resignation. ’
‘Were you turned out in the fields again