Chaffing you, and getting you sometimes into a rage--which was pretended, rather than real--did me a lot of good.

I am sure I should have given in, several times, had you not acted as a sort of tonic; and had I not been sure that it did you as much good as it did me." A month after Hallett's arrival, the colonel said, one morning: "Good morning, Lisle! I am going out with the hounds, tomorrow.
They meet near here.

As you are not great riders, I won't press you to go with me but, at least, you will ride with me to the meet.

It is sure to be a good gathering, and you will probably meet some nice girls; who will, no doubt, have much greater attractions, for young fellows like you, than a gallop round the country." "They have no particular attraction for me, sir," Lisle laughed.
"It will be time enough for that, in another eight or ten years.

It is more in Hallett's line." "But we shall be chaffed, if we don't ride after the hounds, Colonel," Hallett said.
"Not at all," the colonel replied, "you have a first-rate excuse.
You are only just recovering from fever.