ld.

"Why, Love," replied the boy, in a tone as if to say you had only to
look at him to know his name.

"Well then, young Love, clear these things away and come and make a
start with these envelopes."

"No fear. I ain't got to do no envellups. You're got to do 'em."

"I say you've got to do them too," said Reginald, sternly; "and if you
don't choose to do what you're told I can't keep you here."

The boy looked up in astonishment.

"You ain't my governor," said he.

"I am, though," said Reginald, "and you'd better make up your mind to
it. If you choose to do as you're told we shall get on all right, but
I'll not keep you here if you don't."

His tone and manner effectually overawed the mutinous youngster. He
could not have spoken like that unless he possessed sufficient authority
to back it up, and as it did not suit the convenience of Mr Love just
then to receive the "sack" from any one, he capitulated with the honours
of war, put his _Tim Tigerskin_ into his pocket, and placed himself at
his new "governor's" disposal.

The evening's work consisted in addressing some two hundred or three
hundred envelopes to persons whose names Mr Medlock had ticked in a
directory, and enclosing prospectuses therein. It was not very
entertaining work; still, as it was his first introduction to the
operations of the Corporation, it had its attractions for the new
secretary. A very fair division of labour was mutually agreed upon by
the two workers before starting. Reginald was to copy out the
addresses, and Master Love, whose appetite was always good, was to fold
and insert the circulars and "lick up" the envelopes.

This being decided, the work went on briskly and quietly. Reginald had
leisure to notice one or two little points as he went on, which, though
trivial in themselves, still interested him. He observed for one thing
that the largest proportion of the names marked in the directory were
either ladies or clergymen, and most of them residing in the south of
England. Very few of them appeared to reside in any large town, but to
prefer rural retreats "far from the madding crowd," where doubtless a
letter, even on the business of the Corporation, would be a welcome
diversion to the monotony of existence. As to the clergy, doubtless
their names had been suggested by the good Bishop of S--, who would be
in a position to introduce a considerable connection to his fellow-
directors. Reginald also noticed that on