cases, and among these was the Bones epistle. That
important document had been caught by a mass of timber and buried beyond
recovery in the ballast of the line.

But why pursue this painful subject further? It is sufficient to say
that although the scattered mails were carefully collected, re-sorted,
and, finally, as far as possible, delivered, the letter with which we
have specially to do never reached its destination. Indeed, it never
more saw the light of day, but remained in the hole where it had been
buried, and thus it came to pass that Mr William Stiggs failed to make
his appearance on the appointed night of the 15th, and Abel Bones was
constrained to venture on his deed of darkness alone.

On the appointed night, however, Tottie did not fail to do her best to
frustrate her father's plans. After a solemn, and last, consultation
with her mother, she left her home with fluttering heart and dry tongue,
and made for the General Post-Office.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

DEEP-LAID PLANS FOR CHECKMATING MR. BONES.

Now it chanced that the Post-Office Message-boys' Literary Association
had fixed to hold its first grand soiree on the night of the 15th.

It was a great occasion. Of course it was held in Pegaway Hall, the
shed in rear of Solomon Flint's dwelling. There were long planks on
trestles for tables, and school forms to match. There were slabs of
indigestible cake, buns in abundance, and tea, with milk and sugar
mixed, in illimitable quantities. There were paper flowers, and
illuminated texts and proverbs round the walls, the whole being lighted
up by two magnificent paraffin lamps, which also served to perfume the
hall agreeably to such of the members and guests as happened to be fond
of bad smells.

On this particular evening invitations had been issued to several
friends of the members of the Association, among whom were Mr Enoch
Blurt and Mr Sterling the missionary. No ladies were invited. A
spirited discussion had taken place on this point some nights before the
soiree, on which occasion the bashful Poker opposed the motion "that
invitations should be issued to ladies," on the ground that, being
himself of a susceptible nature, the presence of the fair sex would tend
to distract his attention from the business on hand. Big Jack also
opposed it, as he thought it wasn't fair to the fair sex to invite them
to a meeting of boys, but Big Jack was immediately called to order, and
reminded that the Soc