commented the delighted Uncle Gutton.
"He'll soon get fat on 'em."

"Not too many at first," advised the watery-eyed young man. "Looks to me
as if he's got a weak stomach."

I think, had the meal lasted much longer, I should have made a dash for
the street; the contemplation of such step was forming in my mind. But
Miss Sellars, looking at her watch, declared we must be getting home at
once, for the which I could have kissed her voluntarily; and, being a
young lady of decision, at once rose and commenced leave-taking. Polite
protests were attempted, but these, with enthusiastic assistance from
myself, she swept aside.

"Don't want any one to walk home with you?" suggested Uncle Gutton.
"Sure you won't feel lonely by yourselves, eh?"

"We shan't come to no harm," assured him Miss Sellars.

"P'raps you're right," agreed Uncle Gutton. "There don't seem to be much
of the fiery and untamed about him, so far as I can see."

"'Slow waters run deep,'" reminded us Aunt Gutton, with a waggish shake
of her head.

"No question about the slow," assented Uncle Gutton. "If you don't like
him--" observed Miss Sellars, speaking with dignity.

"To be quite candid with you, my girl, I don't," answered Uncle Gutton,
whose temper, maybe as the result of too much cold pork and whiskey,
seemed to have suddenly changed.

"Well, he happens to be good enough for me," recommenced Miss Sellars.

"I'm sorry to hear a niece of mine say so," interrupted Uncle Gutton.
"If you want my opinion of him--"

"If ever I do I'll call round some time when you're sober and ast you
for it," returned Miss Sellars. "And as for being your niece, you was
here when I came, and I don't see very well as how I could have got out
of it. You needn't throw that in my teeth."

The gust was dispersed by the practical remark of brother George to the
effect that the last tram for Walworth left the Oval at eleven-thirty;
to which he further added the suggestion that the Clapham Road was wide
and well adapted to a row.

"There ain't going to be no rows," replied Uncle Gutton, returning to
amiability as suddenly as he had departed from it. "We understand each
other, don't we, my girl?"

"That's all right, uncle. I know what you mean," returned Miss Sellars,
with equal handsomeness.

"Bring him round again when he's feeling better," added Uncle Gutton,
"and we'll have another look at him."

"What you want," advised the watery-eyed young man on shaking hands wi