"That's Willie Willders," said Barret, laughing.

"I guessed as much, and with your leave I'll call him in. He knows of
my having become an inmate of his mother's house, and as he is probably
going home I would like to send a message to his mother. Hallo,
Willie."

"Ay, ay, sir!" answered the youth, in the tones of a thoroughbred
seaman. Not that Willie had ever been at sea, but he was so fond of
seamen, and had mingled with them so much at the docks, as well as those
of them who had become firemen, that he tried to imitate their gait and
tones.

"Come here, you scamp, and stop your noise."

"Certainly, sir," said Willie, with a grin, as he entered the room, cap
in hand.

"Going home, lad?" asked Fred.

"Yes, sir--at least in a permiscuous sort of way entertainin' myself as
I goes with agreeable talk, and improvin' obsarvation of the shop
winders, etceterrer."

"Will you take a message to your mother?"

"Sure-ly," answered Willie.

"Well, say to her that I have several calls to make to-night and may be
late in getting home, but she need not sit up for me as I have the
door-key; tell her not to forget to leave the door on the latch."

"Wery good, sir," said Willie. "May I make so bold as to ask how Miss
Loo was when you seed her last?"

"Not well, I regret to say," replied Fred.

"Indeed! I'm surprised to hear that, for she's agoin' out to tea
to-morrow night, sir."

"My surprise is greater than yours, lad; how d'you know that, and where
is she going to?" asked Auberly.

Here Willie explained in a very elaborate manner that a note had arrived
that forenoon from Miss Tippet, inviting Mr Tippet to tea the following
evening, and expressing a hope that he would bring with him his clerk,
"_Mister_" Willders, the brother of the brave fireman who had saved
Loo's life, and that Miss Louisa Auberly was to be there, and that Mr
Tippet had written a note accepting the same.

"Then you'll have to take another message from me, Willie. Tell Miss
Tippet when you go to-morrow that I will give myself the pleasure of
looking in on her in the course of the evening," said Fred. "Mr
Auberly is not to be there, is he?"

"No, not as I knows of."

"Well, good-night, Willie."

Willie took his departure, marching to the usual national air, and soon
after Fred Auberly bade his friend good-night and left him.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

A SMALL TEA-PARTY.

Miss Tippet's tea-party began by the arrival of Willie Wil