ce that caused the excellent (though
obstinate) old creature to depart, grumbling.

In another moment a quick step was heard on the stair, and a stranger
burst into the room, shut the door in my landlady's face as she followed
him, and locked it.

I was naturally surprised, though not alarmed, by the abrupt and
eccentric conduct of my visitor, who did not condescend to take off his
hat, but stood with his arms folded on his breast, gazing at me and
breathing hard.

"You are agitated, sir; pray be seated," said I, pointing to a chair.

The stranger, who was a little man and evidently a gentleman, made no
reply, but, seizing a chair, placed it exactly before me, sat down on it
as he would have seated himself on a horse, rested his arms on the back,
and stared me in the face.

"You are disposed to be facetious," said I, smiling (for I never take
offence without excessively good reason).

"Not at all, by no means," said he, taking off his hat and throwing it
recklessly on the floor. "You are Mr Rover, I presume?"

"The same, sir, at your service."

"Are you? oh, that's yet to be seen! Pray, is your Christian name
Ralph?"

"It is," said I, in some surprise at the coolness of my visitor.

"Ah! just so. Christian name Ralph, t'other name Rover--Ralph Rover.
Very good. Age twenty-two yesterday, eh?"

"My birthday _was_ yesterday, and my age _is_ twenty-two. You appear to
know more of my private history than I have the pleasure of knowing of
yours. Pray, sir, may I--but, bless me! are you unwell?"

I asked this in some alarm, because the little man was rolling about in
his seat, holding his sides, and growing very red in the face.

"Oh no! not at all; perfectly well--never was better in my life," he
said, becoming all at once preternaturally grave. "You were once in the
Pacific--lived on a coral island--"

"I did."

"Oh, don't trouble yourself to answer. Just shut up for a minute or
two. You were rather a soft green youth then, and you don't seem to be
much harder or less verdant now."

"Sir!" I exclaimed, getting angry.

"Just so," continued he, "and you knew a young rascal there--"

"I know a rascal _here_," I exclaimed, starting up, "whom I'll kick--"

"What!" cried the little stranger, also starting up and capsizing the
chair; "Ralph Rover, has time and sunburning and war so changed my
visage that you cannot recognise Peterkin?"

I almost gasped for breath.

"Peterkin--Peterkin Gay!" I e