rned from the
East Indies."

"Good God! is it possible!" thought I; "how strange that my own wild
fancy should have settled upon him as my father!"

I hurried away, threw myself into the hackney-coach, and desired the man
to drive to Lincoln's Inn. I hastened up to Mr Masterton's rooms: he was
fortunately at home, although he stood at the table with his hat and his
great coat on, ready to go out.

"My dear sir, have you forgotten me?" said I, in a voice choked with
emotion, taking his hand and squeezing it with rapture.

"By heavens, you are determined that I shall not forget you for some
minutes, at least," exclaimed he, wringing his hand with pain. "Who
the devil are you?"

Mr Masterton could not see without his spectacles, and my subdued voice
he had not recognised. He pulled them out, as I made no reply, and fixing
them across his nose--"Hah! why yes--it is Japhet, is it not?"

"It is indeed, sir," said I, again offering my hand, which he shook
warmly.

"Not quite so hard, my dear fellow, this time," said the old lawyer; "I
acknowledge your vigour, and that is sufficient. I am very glad to see
you, Japhet, I am indeed--you--you scamp--you ungrateful fellow. Sit
down--sit down--first help me off with my great coat: I presume the
advertisement has brought you into existence again. Well, it's all true;
and you have at last found your father, or, rather, he has found you.
And what's more strange, you hit upon the right person; that is
strange--very strange indeed."

"Where is he, sir?" interrupted I, "where is he--take me to him."

"No, rather be excused," replied Mr Masterton, "for he is gone to
Ireland, so you must wait."

"Wait, sir, oh no--I must follow him."

"That will only do harm; for he is rather a queer sort of an old
gentleman, and although he acknowledges that he left you as _Japhet_ and
has searched for you, yet he is so afraid of somebody else's brat being
put upon him, that he insists upon most undeniable proofs. Now, we
cannot trace you from the hospital unless we can find that fellow
Cophagus, and we have made every search after him, and no one can tell
where he is."

"But I left him but yesterday morning, sir," replied I.

"Good--very good; we must send for him or go to him; besides, he has
the packet intrusted to the care of Miss Maitland, to whom he was
executor, which proves the marriage of your father. Very strange--very
strange indeed, that you should have hit upon it as you did--