endation to the old man. But,
egad I fixed 'em. I told 'em he was in Boston, whereas he's in
Chicopee, so I just took the letter from the office myself. It reads
beautifully. Do you understand?"

All this time, in spite of the tobacco juice, Henry had apparently
taken no notice of Billy, whom George now introduced, saying, he
believed they were old acquaintances. With the coolest effrontery
Henry took from his pocket a quizzing glass and applying it to his
eye, said, "I've absolutely studied until I'm near-sighted, but I
don't think I ever met this chap before."

"Perhaps, sir," said Billy haughtily, "it may refresh your memory a
little to know that I was once the owner of Tasso!"

"Blast the brute," muttered Henry, meaning Billy quite as much as the
dog; then turning to George, he asked, "how long the _old folks_ had
been in Chicopee."

"Several weeks, I think," answered George; and then, either because he
wanted to hear what Henry would say, or because of a re-awakened
interest in Mary Howard, he continued, "By the way. Henry, when you
came so unceremoniously upon us, we were speaking of a young girl in
Chicopee whom you have perhaps ferreted out ere this, as Bender says
she is fine looking."

Henry stroked his whiskers, which had received far more cultivation
than his brains, stuck his hat on one side, and answered. "Why, yes, I
suppose that in my way I am some thing of a b'hoy with the fair sex,
but really I do not now think of more than one handsome girl in
Chicopee, and that is Ella Campbell, but she is young yet, not as old
as Jenny--altogether too small fry for Henry Lincoln, Esq. But who is
the girl?"

Billy frowned, for he held Mary's name as too sacred to be breathed by
a young man of Henry Lincoln's character; while George replied, "Her
name is Mary Howard."

"What, the pauper?" asked Henry, looking significantly at Billy, who
replied, "The same, sir."

"Whew-ew," whistled Henry, prolonging the diphthong to an unusual
length. "Why, she's got two teeth at least a foot long, and her face
looks as though she had just been in the vinegar barrel, and didn't
like the taste of it."

"But without joking, though, how does she look?" asked George; while
Billy made a movement as if he would help the insolent puppy to find
his level.

"Well, now, old boy," returned Henry, "I'll tell you honestly, that
the last time I saw her, I was surprised to find how much she was
improved. She has swallowed those abomi