o thickets, no
wild-flowers worth mentioning--nothin' wild whatever 'cept the child'n,"
returned Pax, contemptuously.

"But look at the Serpentine, and the Thames, and--"

"Bah!" interrupted Pax, "would you compare the Thames with the clear,
flowing, limpid--"

"Come now, Pax, don't become poetical, it isn't your forte; but listen
while I talk of matters more important. You've sometimes heard me
mention my mother, haven't you?"

"I have--with feelings of poetical reverence," answered Pax.

"Well, my mother has been writing of late in rather low spirits about
her lonely condition in that wild place on the west coast of Ireland.
Now, Mr Blurt has been groaning much lately as to his having no female
relative to whom he could trust his brother Fred. You know he is
obliged to look after the shop, and to go out a good deal on business,
during which times Mr Fred is either left alone, or under the care of
Mrs Murridge, who, though faithful, is old and deaf and stupid. Miss
Lillycrop would have been available once, but ever since the fire she
has been appropriated--along with Tottie Bones--by that female Trojan
Miss Stivergill, and dare not hint at leaving her. It's a good thing
for her, no doubt, but it's unfortunate for Mr Fred. Now, do you see
anything in the mists of that statement?"

"Ah--yes--just so," said Pax; "Mr Blurt wants help; mother wants
cheerful society. A sick-room ain't the perfection of gaiety, no doubt,
but it's better than the west coast of Ireland--at least as depicted by
you. Yes, somethin' might come o' that."

"More may come of it than you think, Pax. You see I want to provide
some sort of home for George Aspel to come to when we save him--for
we're sure to save him at last. I feel certain of that," said Phil,
with something in his tone that did not quite correspond to his
words--"quite certain of that," he repeated, "God helping us. I mean to
talk it over with May."

They turned, as he spoke, into the passage which led to Mr Flint's
abode.

May was at home, and she talked the matter over with Phil in the boudoir
with the small window, and the near prospect of brick wall, and the
photographs of the Maylands, and the embroidered text that was its
occupant's sheet-anchor.

She at once fell in with his idea about getting their mother over to
London, but when he mentioned his views about her furnishing a house so
as to offer a home to his friend Aspel, she was apparently distressed,