Page:Wren--The young stagers.djvu/191

Rh "Oh, yes," was the reply. "I always hunt, on principle—support local industries, y'know."

It struck the Vice as a curious remark to make. Naturally he'd hunt on principle—he wouldn't do it on foot, would he? Evidently quite a drawing-room word. Not like the dreadful word with which he had shocked and sullied the young ears of Buster, Snooty, Jerks, and Birdie.

Then it was discovered to be a word publicly used by ladies of irreproachable discretion. Nice kind Miss Drake of the Zenana Mission invited the children to come to the annual tamasha at her school and see the little Indian orphan-girls enjoy their big treat. After the distribution of sweets and prizes by Lady Morton-Maxwell, Miss Drake made a tiny little speech, in the course of which she said there were several things they did there on principle.

The Vice quite understood that it is tiring to stand too long—especially in the heat of the day. He always lay down, himself. He abandoned other valued clichés in favour of this new phrase, and he surprised Mr. Hunter, the new Collector, when that gentleman, seeing him