Unfortunately the situation, already bad enough, was aggravated by this dark prominence of Mr.Jellybrand.It cannot be found in any chronicles that Mr.Jellybrand and the dog had met before; it is simply a fact that the dog, raising his eyes at the opening of the door and catching sight of the black-coated figure, forgot instantly his toilet, rose dripping from his rug, and advanced growling, his lips back, his ears out, his tail erect, towards the door.

Then everything happened together.

Mr.Jellybrand, who had been afraid of dogs ever since, as an infant, he had been mistaken for a bone by a large retriever, stepped back upon Aunt Amy, who uttered a shrill cry.

Mrs.Cole, although she did not forsake her accustomed placidity, said: "Nurse...

Nurse..." Jeremy cried: "It's all right, he wouldn't touch anything, he's only friendly." Mary and Helen together moved forward as though to protect Jeremy, and the Jampot could be heard in a confused wail: "Not me, Mum...