but the Mr. Maberly of whom I have so often heard from my friend
Buckley will do me a still higher honour if he will allow me to enrol
him among the number of my friends."

Frank the Dean thought that Captain Brentwood's speech would have made
a good piece to turn into Greek prose, in the style of Demosthenes; but
he didn't say so. He looked at the Captain's stolid face for a moment,
and said, as Sam thought, a little abruptly:

"I think, sir, that you and I shall get on very well together when we
understand one another."

The Captain made no reply in articulate speech, but laughed internally,
till his sides shook, and held out his hand. The Dean laughed too, as
he took it, and said:

"I met a young lady at the Bishop's the other day, a Miss Brentwood."

"My daughter, sir," said the Captain.

"So I guessed--partly from the name, and partly from a certain look
about the eyes, rather unmistakeable. Allow me to say, sir, that I
never remember to have seen such remarkable beauty in my life."

They sat Frank down to supper, and when he had done, the conversation
was resumed.

"By-the-bye, Major Buckley," said he, "I miss an old friend, who I
heard was living with you; a very dear old friend,--where is Doctor
Mulhaus?"

"Dear Doctor," said Mrs. Buckley; "this is his home indeed, but he is
away at present on an expedition with two old Devon friends, Hamlyn and
Stockbridge."

"Oh!" said Frank, "I have heard of those men; they came out here the
year before the Vicar died. I never knew either of them, but I well
remember how kindly Stockbridge used to be spoken of by everyone in
Drumston. I must make his acquaintance."

"You will make the acquaintance of one of the finest fellows in the
world, Dean," said the Major; "I know no worthier man than Stockbridge.
I wish Mary Thornton had married him."

"And I hear," said Frank, "that the pretty Mary is your next door
neighbour, in partnership with that excellent giant Troubridge. I must
go and see them to-morrow. I will produce one of those great roaring
laughs of his, by reminding him of our first introduction at the
Palace, through a rat."

"I am sorry to say," said the Major, "that Tom is away at Port Phillip,
with cattle."

"Port Phillip, again," said Frank; "I have heard of nothing else
throughout my journey. I am getting bored with it. Will you tell me
what you know about it for certain?"

"Well," said the Major, "it lies about 250 miles south of this, though