'I'm sure that's no reason,' said Mary.

'Children,' interposed Miss Austen, it's time Willie was in bed; he ought to have been asleep by this time, as he has to rise early to-morrow.'

Mr. Grumphy only now remembered that he had not communicated the surgeon's intimation that the boy's departure was delayed for a few days; upon learning which a clapping of hands on the part of Mary and Willie ensued, and mutual congratulations, in which Mary forgot herself once more, however, this time with impunity; whilst Miss Austen playfully remarked 'that Mr. Grumphy was a knowing man not to tell them before supper, for fear it might save the jelly;' at which even Mr. Grumphy condescended to smile, and the children once more clapped their hands and danced around the room.

Mr.

As the hour was late, the little company broke up. Grumphy retired, feeling somewhat different, if not the better, for unbending himself in so unusual a manner. And all rejoiced that a few days of grace were yet before them ere the trying ordeal was to take place.

IN

CHAPTER IX.

FACTS AND FICTIONS.

N order to maintain the reputation for punctuality and despatch, noted on the bills and cards of the fast-sailing smacks and other craft sailing from Green's Wharf, Wapping, the Wasp, Speed, master, loading for Stockton-on-Tees, was detained a few days subsequent to the time named for her departure. In this particular, however, the owners of the said craft were by no means singular, and were only following the precedent of more pretentious firms, a mode of procedure apparently forming an essential feature in the art of ship-brokering, since all vessels 'up' for ports beyond the sea, or elsewhere, were, before steamvessels superseded their passenger traffic, usually advertised to be positively despatched on a certain date, considerably in advance of the time intended, thereby very successfully keeping the intended passenger on the alert, and in a proper degree of agitation, not unfrequently occasioning him to take a hurried leave of friends, and to drive post-haste to the port of embarkation, with barely time left to go on board. On arrival, confidentially informed--confidentially, lest the intelligence should reach some others equally interested-that the punctual ship would not sail till the morrow; but which to-morrow, he finds out to his cost, extended to every to-morrow embraced in the next six weeks.

In the interim of the days to elapse before the sailing of the Wasp, in which Willie's passage was booked, we shall just step aside to accompany the reader to the Poultry in the City, or rather to Bucklersbury, which, inclining from Cheapside, runs behind the portion of the street bearing the former name; and, after descending a short distance, turn on the right-hand side into Barge Yard, a narrow, quiet street or court, having no outlet at the other end, inhabited principally by merchants doing

business with every clime, some of whom were men of wealth. The end building, entered through an archway, was principally occupied by a wholesale stationer, subsequently a celebrated Lord Mayor of the city. About two-thirds of the distance up this roadway, we turn into an open door, and ascend a steep staircase, until we come to the first landing, where, by a name painted on the door, also indicated on the posts below, we find ourselves at Mr. Hiram Hawkes' place of business.

On entering the office, by which term the first room, appropriated to the use of Mr. Hawkes' clerk, was designated, you could not fail to be impressed with the large amount of business that must be transacted in that very small space. On shelves running along the opposite side were deposited boxes of various shapes and sizes, each having either some large painted letters or paper labels pasted thereon, descriptive of their contents, the latter, however, mostly too dirty and too illegible to make out. Against the wall, opposite the shelves, and behind the door, stood a large, shaky press, the doors wide open, on the upper shelves of which were deposited various printed blank legal forms, their nature being designated by a strip of paper stuck into each set; the other and lower portion containing a mass of loose papers and parchments, thrown in pell-mell, and usually calling for an extra amount of patience when any one in particular was required. A further supply of boxes was scattered promiscuously around the room, some with the lids off, out of which bundles of papers, folded up and tied with red tape, had been taken in the search for others, and left on the floor. A large old-fashioned mahogany desk, very black, and coated with accumulations of grease and dirt, stood at a short distance from the window, along the outside whereof, in front of the clerk, were dirty tied-up bundles, apparently related to those on the ground; whilst on the sloping portion were several sheets of loose papers, written and printed, interspersed with rulers, inkstand, pounce-box, lead weights, and other paraphernalia requisite to aid in the production of the important legal missives and documents concocted in that arcanum, the begrimed windows of which somewhat aided in imparting a deeper sense of the mysterious art required in their production, and which windows were further shaded by a couple of half-drawn decayed blinds, whose only use, beyond aiding the above effect, might be to further help the impression of a very old, and consequently a very respectable, firm.

But not the least important portion of the contents of the room, when within it, and which, when not sent out of it by the principal, was usually from nine till six, was the more modern figure seated on the brown-cushioned stool behind that extensive desk. Occasionally his head reclined on his arm, as it reposed on the said desk, whilst his fingers were employed in engrossing, in German text, the words commencing the document on which he was engaged, transcribing from another paper by his side, which document, being of parchment, necessitated the frequent use of the pounce-box to negative its greasy texture, as the well-whitened coat-sleeve of the said figure abundantly testified. Then he would draw back and take a prolonged survey of the last-formed letter, decide upon one or two improvements, and, having effected the same, make another inspection, and, with a nod of approval, commence the next letter, at the conclusion of which the same examination and amendment took place, until, finally, on completion of the whole word, he threw his pen and penknife on to the desk (the penknife, during copying, being always held between the two first fingers and thumb of the left hand, to hold down the material on which writing), tilted the stool on its two hind legs, and, leaning the back of his head against the wall, his two thumbs thrust into the arm-holes of his waistcoat, his thoughts took a discursive flight.

Mr. Octavius Skeggs, the notability thus introduced, was a gentleman of about five or six-and-twenty, of average stature; his hair inclined more than slightly to a brown shade,—we should say red, were it not that by some process known to himself, he had latterly contrived to impart this darker hue, and of course the whiskers followed suite; his complexion was of the same florid tint, inclining a little to sallow, possibly the result of his sedentary occupation; dark eyes, with a jocular expression; his face oblong, the most prominent feature on which was, of course, his nose, but somewhat more elongated and projecting than noses in general, always announcing the owner's proximity by appearing first round a corner or a door-post; his figure was slight and agile; and, though not by any means laying claim to be styled good-looking, his cheery manner, coupled with a not unmusical voice, did very much to offset the less agreeable lineaments of his person.

In dress Mr. Skeggs affected tightly-strapped trousers, the vogue in those days with any young gentleman of ton, which in Octavius' case was an advantage, inasmuch as it compelled a

nearer approach of that portion of his dress to his ankle-boots than otherwise could have been ensured, at the same time having the drawback of compelling the legs they encased to maintain two nearly straight lines, scarcely allowing any deflection from the knees except at the peril of a burst; a blue faded tail-coat adorned the upper man,—that is, when on the streets, for in the office this was always exchanged for an older one, and carefully folded and deposited in one end of his desk; his double-breasted waistcoat, tightly buttoned to his throat, precluded any exhibition of a shirt, the only allusion to which was found in the narrow rim of collar, that scarcely peeped above a well-worn satin stock, buckled behind his long neck.

Mr. Skeggs' temperament partook of his corporeal tint, being of a sanguine nature, not so readily changed as his hair, but which nevertheless would in all probability become toned down by a more infallible process, time and experience,—invaluable ingredients towards effecting such result. This element often occasioned him to raise some very splendid edifices, which he should eventually be destined to inhabit with some fair enchantress, and an extra assortment of footmen, servants, horses, carriages, and innumerable other indispensables,-so numerous, that, as they were at times difficult to recall, he intended some day to make a list of them. Mr. Skeggs had indulged in this line to such an extent, that it became next door to a reality, and produced a very happy effect, contributing towards a degree of contentment the very reverse of what might have been expected from such ambitious imaginings, the more remarkable, as his means were at present very limited, being in the enjoyment of fifteen shillings and sixpence weekly, with the promise, long held out, of the addition of the odd sixpence on the occurrence of some indefinite event or period, the non-fulfilment of which, thus far, might naturally be supposed to have cast a doubt on Mr. Skeggs' mind as to his other prospects, and whether his castle-building might not also remain unfulfilled, or be postponed, in parlance familiar to his legal mind, 'sine die,' but it did not do so, and which speaks so well for that gentleman, that it is only justice to him to record it.

Mr. Skeggs had remained in his recumbent position some time, soaring as usual, until he reached the highest pinnacle of his castle, on which he had been in the habit of reposing so often, that he could look down therefrom without becoming at all dizzy, when a noise in the inner room reminded him that the governor, alias Mr. Hiram Hawkes, was probably about making