that lights up her face when she is talking, and few people
know so much of what is going on in the world, not to mention all about
birds, and creeping things, and flowers. The other day she was going
through the garden, when just by touching the flowers with her fingers
she was able to tell their colour and their names as well as the
gardener himself.

"Then there is a Captain Fancourt, a naval officer, a brother of Mrs
Ralph Castleton, and Mr Ralph Castleton himself is expected, but he is
taken up with politics and public business in London, and it is seldom
he can tear himself away from them."

"I suppose Mr Ralph, then, is Sir Reginald's heir," observed the dame.

"That remains to be seen," answered the steward. "You know Sir Reginald
has another nephew older than Mr Ralph, who has been abroad since he
was a young man. Though he has not been heard of for many years, he may
appear any day. The title and estates must go to him, whatever becomes
of the personalty."

"You know when I was a girl I lived in the family of Mr Herbert
Castleton, their father, near Morbury, so I remember the young gentlemen
as they were then, and feel an interest in them, and so I should in
their children."

"Ah! that just reminds me that you or your husband may do Master Harry a
pleasure. He has not been on shore many days before he is wanting to be
off again on the salt water, and who should he fall in with but Miles
Gaffin, who came up here to see me about the rent of the mill. Master
Harry found out somehow or other that Miles had a lugger, and nothing
would content him but that he must go off and take a cruise in her.
Now, between ourselves, Mrs Halliburt, I do not trust that craft or her
owner. You know, perhaps, as much about them as I do; your husband
knows more, but I think it would content the young gentleman if
Halliburt would take him off in his yawl, and he need not go so far from
the shore as to run any risk of being picked up by an enemy's ship."

"Bless you, Mr Groocock, of course Adam will be main proud to take out
Sir Reginald's nephew, and for his own sake will be careful not to go
far enough off the land to run the risk of being caught by any of the
French cruisers," answered the dame. "When would the young gentleman
like to come? He must not expect man-of-war's ways on board the
_Nancy_, and it would not do for Adam and the lads to lose their day's
fishing."

"As to that, he is not likely to be particula