"How thoughtful of your mother, George.

How is she, dear ?" "Oh, she's all right, Aunt Deborah." His blunt freckled features flushed from his drive, George stood beaming on them both.

He appeared, if anything, tougher and scrawnier than before.

"Everything's all right," he said.

"There ain't a sick animal on the whole farm." As Roger sipped his coffee he was having a look at the horses.