eartily.

"What's your line of country?" he asks--"Equity or Common Law?"

I admit that it's Common Law. Have momentary feeling that Equity
sounds better, Why _Common_ Law?

"Quite right," he says, encouragingly; "much the best branch. _I_ am
a Common-Law man too." Refers to it as if it were a moral virtue on
his--and my--part to have avoided Equity. Wonder if Equity men talk
in this way about "Common" Lawyers? If so, oughtn't there to be more
_esprit de corps_ in the Profession?

"Been before old PROSER, Queen's Bench Division, to-day," he proceeds.
"Do you ever sit in Court?"

I reluctantly confess that I have not made an habitual point of doing
so.

"Ah," he says, finding that I can't contradict him as to what did
really happen in old PROSER's Court to-day; "you _should_ have been
there just now. Had BLOWHARD, the great Q.C., opposed to me. But,
bless you, he couldn't do anything to speak of against my arguments.
PROSER really hardly would listen to him once or twice. Made BLOWHARD
quite lose his temper, I assure you."

"So he lost his case, too, I suppose?" I remark, humorously.

"Um," replies FIBBINS, sinking into despondency, "not exactly. PROSER
didn't quite like to decide _against_ BLOWHARD, you know; so he--so
he--er--decided _for_ him, in fact. Of course we appeal. It won't,"
goes on FIBBINS, more cheerfully, "do BLOWHARD's clients a bit of
good. Only run their bill up. I'm safe to win before the Court of
Appeal. Lord Justice GRILL a first-rate lawyer--sure to reverse old
PROSER. I can," he ends with conscious pride, "twist GRILL round my
finger, so to speak."

The idea of twisting a Lord Justice round one's finger impresses me
still more with DICK FIBBINS's legal genius. How lucky I am to have
made his acquaintance! Feel impelled to ask, as I do rather nervously,
not knowing if a bitter disappointment does not await me.

"Do you--er--take legal pupils ever?"

I feel that I've put it in a way that sounds like asking him if he
indulges in drink. But FIBBINS evidently not offended. He answers
briskly, with engaging candour.

"Well, to tell you the truth, though I've often been asked to--quite
pestered about it, in fact--I've never done so hitherto. The
Solicitors don't like it quite--makes 'em think one is wasting the
time which ought to be given to their briefs on one's own pups--I mean
pupils."

Perhaps, after all, FIBBINS will dash my hopes (of becoming his
"pup!" _Query_, isn't the word _in