brought himself and his horse to her sign-post for their Sunday dinner. Nor was this all, but he ordered the very best bed room, and the coral parlour '-as he elegantly called the sea-weedy room,-gave every child, whether male or female, sixpence of new mintage, and created such impression on her widowed heart, that he even won the privilege of basting his own duck. Whatever this gentleman did, never failed to reflect equal credit on him and itself. But thoroughly well as he basted his duck, and efficiently as he consumed it, deeper things were in his mind, and moving with every mouthful. If Captain Carroway laboured hard on public and royal service, no less severely did Mordacks work, though his stronger sense of self-duty led him to feed the labour better. On the Monday morning he had a long and highly interesting talk with the magisterial rector, to whom he set forth the main part of his knowledge, loftily spurning all concealment, according to the motto of his life. You see, sir,' he said, as he rose to depart, I have told you everything I know, in the strictest confidence, of course, because I never do anything on the sly.'

'Mr. Mordacks, you have surprised me,' answered Dr. Upround; "though I always expected something of the sort. I really must congratulate you upon your vigorous skill and frankness.'

'Not at all, sir, not at all. It is my manner of doing business, now for thirty years or more. Moles and fools, sir, work underground, and only get traps set for them. I travel entirely above ground, and go ten miles for their ten inches. My strategy, sir, is simplicity. Nothing puzzles rogues so much, because they cannot believe it.'

The theory is good, and the practice has been so in your case. I should be sorry to be against you, in any business you undertake. In the present matter I am wholly with you, and wish you success most heartily. Still there are many difficulties

The greatest difficulty of all would be to fail, as I look at it. Especially with your most valuable aid.'

What little I can do shall be most readily forthcoming. But remember, there is many a slip-- If I had known this but one

month ago, how much better it might have been!'

Truly. But I did not know it then; and I got my last link only yesterday. Never fear, sir; we shall pull him through this little scrape as well, unless-unless, what I fear to think of, there should happen to be bloodshed.'

'There will be none of that, Mr. Mordacks; we are too skilful and too gentle for anything more than a few cracked crowns."

Then everything is as it ought to be. But I must be off; I have many points to see to. How I find time for this affair is the wonder.'

But you will not leave us, I trust, until-until what appears to be expected has happened.'

When I undertake a thing, Dr. Upround, my rule is to go

at any time. Good-bye, sir; and pray give the compliments of Mr. Mordacks to the ladies.'

With even more than his usual confidence and high spirits, the general factor mounted horse and rode at once to Bridlington, or rather to the Quay thereof, in search of Lieutenant Carroway. But Carroway was not at home, and his poor wife said, with a sigh, that now she had given up expecting him. Have no fear, madam, I will bring him back,' Mordacks answered, as if he already held him by the collar; I have very good news, madam, very grand news for him, and you, and all these lovely and highly intelligent children. Place me, madam, under the very deepest obligation by allowing these two little dears to take the basket I see yonder, and accompany me to that apple-stand. I saw there some fruit of a sort which used to fit my teeth most wonderfully, when they were just the size of theirs. And here is another little darling, with a pin-before infinitely too spotless. If you will spare her also, we will do our best to take away that reproach, ma'am.'

Oh, sir, you are much too kind. But to speak of good news does one good. It is so long since there has been any, that I scarcely know how to pronounce the words.'

'Mistress Carroway, take my word for it, that such a state of things shall be shortly of the past. I will bring back Captain Carroway, madam, to his sweet and most beautifully situated home, and with tidings which shall please you.'

It is kind of you not to tell me the good news now, sir. I shall enjoy it so much more, to see my husband hear it. Good-bye, and I hope that you will soon be back again.'

While Mr. Mordacks was loading the children with all that they made soft mouths at, he observed, for the second time, three men who appeared to be taking much interest in his doings. They had sauntered aloof, while he called at the cottage, as if they had something to say to him, but would keep it until he had finished there. But they did not come up to him, as he expected; and when he had seen the small Carroways home, he rode up to ask what they wanted with him. Nothing only this, sir,' the shortest of them answered, while the others pretended not to hear; we was told that yon was Smuggler's house, and we thought that your honour was the famous Captain Lyth.'

The

'If I ever want a man,' said the general factor, 'to tell a lie with a perfect face, I shall come here and look for you, my friend.' man looked at him, and smiled, and nodded, as much as to say, You might get it done worse,' and then carelessly followed his comrades towards the sea. And Mr. Mordacks, riding off with equal jauntiness, cocked his hat, and stared at the Priory Church as if he had never seen any such building before.

.

'I begin to have a very strong suspicion,' he said to himself as he put his horse along, that this is the place where the main attack

experienced eye like mine. All the grocers, the bakers, the candlestickmakers, and the women, who always precede the men, are mightily gathered together. And the men are holding counsel in a milder way. They have got three jugs at the old boathouse, for the benefit of holloaing in the open air. Moreover, the lane inland is scored with a regular market-day of wheels, and there is no market this side of the old town. Carroway, vigilant captain of men, why have you forsaken your domestic hearth? Is it through jealousy of Nettlebones, and a stern resolve to be ahead of him? Robin, my Robin, is a genius in tactics, a very bright Napoleon of free-trade. He penetrates the counsels, or what is more, the feelings of those who camp against him. He means to land this great emprise at Captain Carroway's threshold. True justice on the man for sleeping out of his own bed so long. But instead of bowing to the blow, he would turn a downright maniac, according to all I hear of him. Well, it is no concern of mine, so long as nobody is killed; which everybody makes such a fuss about.'

CHAPTER XXXII.

CORDIAL ENJOYMENT.

THE poise of this great enterprise was hanging largely in the sky, from which come all things, and to which resolved they are referred again. The sky, to hold an equal balance, or to decline all troublesome responsibility about it, went away, or (to put it more politely) retired from the scene. Even as nine men out of ten, when a handsome fight is toward, would rather have no opinion on the merits, but abide in their breeches, and there keep their hands till the fist of the victor is open, so at this period the upper firmament nodded a strict neutrality. And yet, on the whole, it must have indulged a sneaking proclivity towards free-trade; otherwise, why should it have been as follows?

November now was far advanced; and none but sanguine Britons hoped, at least in this part of the world, to know (except from memory and predictions of the Almanac) whether the sun were round or square, until next Easter-day should come. It was not quite impossible that he might appear at Candlemas, when he is supposed to give a dance, though hitherto a strictly private one; but even so, this premature frisk of his were undesirable, if faith in ancient rhyme be any. But putting him out of the question, as he had already put himself, the things that were below him, and from length of practice, manage well to shape their course without him, were moving now and managing themselves with moderation.

The tone of the clouds was very mild, and so was the colour of the sea. A comely fog involved the day, and a decent mist restrained the

at any time. Good-bye, sir; and pray give the compliments of Mr. Mordacks to the ladies.'

With even more than his usual confidence and high spirits, the general factor mounted horse and rode at once to Bridlington, or rather to the Quay thereof, in search of Lieutenant Carroway. But Carroway was not at home, and his poor wife said, with a sigh, that now she had given up expecting him. Have no fear, madam, I will bring him back,' Mordacks answered, as if he already held him by the collar; I have very good news, madam, very grand news for him, and you, and all these lovely and highly intelligent children. Place me, madam, under the very deepest obligation by allowing these two little - dears to take the basket I see yonder, and accompany me to that apple-stand. I saw there some fruit of a sort which used to fit my teeth most wonderfully, when they were just the size of theirs. And here is another little darling, with a pin-before infinitely too spotless. If you will spare her also, we will do our best to take away that reproach, ma'am.'

'Oh, sir, you are much too kind. But to speak of good news does one good. It is so long since there has been any, that I scarcely know how to pronounce the words.'

'Mistress Carroway, take my word for it, that such a state of things shall be shortly of the past. I will bring back Captain Carroway, madam, to his sweet and most beautifully situated home, and with tidings which shall please you.'

It is kind of you not to tell me the good news now, sir. I shall enjoy it so much more, to see my husband hear it. Good-bye, and I hope that you will soon be back again.'

While Mr. Mordacks was loading the children with all that they made soft mouths at, he observed, for the second time, three men who appeared to be taking much interest in his doings. They had sauntered aloof, while he called at the cottage, as if they had something to say to him, but would keep it until he had finished there. But they did not come up to him, as he expected; and when he had seen the small Carroways home, he rode up to ask what they wanted with him. 'Nothing only this, sir,' the shortest of them answered, while the others pretended not to hear; we was told that yon was Smuggler's house, and we thought that your honour was the famous Captain Lyth.'

'If I ever want a man,' said the general factor, to tell a lie with a perfect face, I shall come here and look for you, my friend.' The man looked at him, and smiled, and nodded, as much as to say, "You might get it done worse,' and then carelessly followed his comrades towards the sea. And Mr. Mordacks, riding off with equal jauntiness, cocked his hat, and stared at the Priory Church as if he had never seen any such building before.

'I begin to have a very strong suspicion,' he said to himself as he put his horse along, that this is the place where the main attack

experienced eye like mine. All the grocers, the bakers, the candlestickmakers, and the women, who always precede the men, are mightily gathered together. And the men are holding counsel in a milder way. They have got three jugs at the old boathouse, for the benefit of holloaing in the open air. Moreover, the lane inland is scored with a regular market-day of wheels, and there is no market this side of the old town. Carroway, vigilant captain of men, why have you forsaken your domestic hearth? Is it through jealousy of Nettlebones, and a stern resolve to be ahead of him? Robin, my Robin, is a genius in tactics, a very bright Napoleon of free-trade. He penetrates the counsels, or what is more, the feelings of those who camp against him. He means to land this great emprise at Captain Carroway's threshold. True justice on the man for sleeping out of his own bed so long. But instead of bowing to the blow, he would turn a downright maniac, according to all I hear of him. Well, it is no concern of mine, so long as nobody is killed; which everybody makes such a fuss about.'

CHAPTER XXXII.

CORDIAL ENJOYMENT.

THE poise of this great enterprise was hanging largely in the sky, from which come all things, and to which resolved they are referred again. The sky, to hold an equal balance, or to decline all troublesome responsibility about it, went away, or (to put it more politely) retired from the scene. Even as nine men out of ten, when a handsome fight is toward, would rather have no opinion on the merits, but abide in their breeches, and there keep their hands till the fist of the victor is open, so at this period the upper firmament nodded a strict neutrality. And yet, on the whole, it must have indulged a sneaking proclivity towards free-trade; otherwise, why should it have been as follows?

November now was far advanced; and none but sanguine Britons hoped, at least in this part of the world, to know (except from memory and predictions of the Almanac) whether the sun were round or square, until next Easter-day should come. It was not quite impossible that he might appear at Candlemas, when he is supposed to give a dance, though hitherto a strictly private one; but even so, this premature frisk of his were undesirable, if faith in ancient rhyme be any. But putting him out of the question, as he had already put himself, the things that were below him, and from length of practice, manage well to shape their course without him, were moving now and managing themselves with moderation.

The tone of the clouds was very mild, and so was the colour of the sea. A comely fog involved the day, and a decent mist restrained the