ough,' said Mr Chester, 'and as I have no fancy to be knocked
on the head--which is not only disconcerting at the moment, but places
one, besides, in a ridiculous position with respect to the people who
chance to pick one up--I shall stop here to-night. I think you said you
had a bed to spare.'

'Such a bed, sir,' returned John Willet; 'ay, such a bed as few, even
of the gentry's houses, own. A fixter here, sir. I've heard say that
bedstead is nigh two hundred years of age. Your noble son--a fine young
gentleman--slept in it last, sir, half a year ago.'

'Upon my life, a recommendation!' said the guest, shrugging his
shoulders and wheeling his chair nearer to the fire. 'See that it be
well aired, Mr Willet, and let a blazing fire be lighted there at once.
This house is something damp and chilly.'

John raked the faggots up again, more from habit than presence of mind,
or any reference to this remark, and was about to withdraw, when a
bounding step was heard upon the stair, and Barnaby came panting in.

'He'll have his foot in the stirrup in an hour's time,' he cried,
advancing. 'He has been riding hard all day--has just come home--but
will be in the saddle again as soon as he has eat and drank, to meet his
loving friend.'

'Was that his message?' asked the visitor, looking up, but without the
smallest discomposure--or at least without the show of any.

'All but the last words,' Barnaby rejoined. 'He meant those. I saw that,
in his face.'

'This for your pains,' said the other, putting money in his hand, and
glancing at him steadfastly.' This for your pains, sharp Barnaby.'

'For Grip, and me, and Hugh, to share among us,' he rejoined, putting
it up, and nodding, as he counted it on his fingers. 'Grip one, me two,
Hugh three; the dog, the goat, the cats--well, we shall spend it pretty
soon, I warn you. Stay.--Look. Do you wise men see nothing there, now?'

He bent eagerly down on one knee, and gazed intently at the smoke, which
was rolling up the chimney in a thick black cloud. John Willet, who
appeared to consider himself particularly and chiefly referred to under
the term wise men, looked that way likewise, and with great solidity of
feature.

'Now, where do they go to, when they spring so fast up there,' asked
Barnaby; 'eh? Why do they tread so closely on each other's heels, and
why are they always in a hurry--which is what you blame me for, when I
only take pattern by these busy folk about me? More of 'em!