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James awoke in the morning to the indistinct sound of shouting. Siegfried was a great one for shouting, and James had caught only three hours of sleep after helping a farmer deliver a breeched calf, so James simply put his pillow over his head with the intention of going back to sleep.
But when he heard the sound of broken crockery, he decided that he ought to get up and investigate.
Siegfried and Tristan sat at the breakfast table. Siegfried glared at Tristan. Tristan stared doubtfully at the broken teacup sitting in front of him in a puddle of tea, as if he was not quite sure how it got there. He looked as if he were having difficulties keeping himself from collapsing face first into his oatmeal.
But when James entered the room, Tristan looked relieved, as if he expected James to sort him out as easily as if he were a colicky horse. "James, old boy," said Tristan, and then winced, as if his own voice was too loud for his pounding head to bear. "I'm afraid I got a bit pie-eyed last night..."
"This miscreant," said Siegfried, his voice rising to a bellow as he spoke, "drove your car into a cow."
"Now, that's not fair," said Tristan. "I only nudged the cow a bit."
James poured himself a cup of tea. "Is the cow all right?" he asked.
"Oh, the cow is fine," Tristan assured him. "Gave me a good solid kick when I got out to check on her."
"The car, however," Siegfried said, "is a shambles."
Tristan made an apologetic face at James. James speared a sausage. "Tristan had better go with me on my rounds this morning, then," James suggested. Tristan made frantic motions with his hand to stop James, but James ignored him. "Give the car a bit of a push if it won't start, that sort of thing."
"Yes," said Siegfried, eyeing Tristan's woeful whey-colored face. "And if the car simply stops running, perhaps you can make him carry you piggyback."
James, who was merciful, spent a few hours tidying the surgery that morning. By the time they left for rounds, Tristan had regained almost his normal color and all of his usual flimflam. "I did it all for you, you know," Tristan said. "Thought the old vulture might get you a better car if I wrecked it for you."
"Of course you did," said James. He clapped Tristan on the back. "Of course you did."