an-John might be, so held his
peace, and took a pull at the beer which the other handed to
him; and then the scout entered, and received orders to bring up
Jack and the breakfast, and not wait for any one. In another
minute, a bouncing and scratching was heard on the stairs, and a
white bulldog rushed in, a gem in his way; for his brow was
broad and massive, his skin was as fine as a lady's, and his
tail taper and nearly as thin as a clay pipe. His general look,
and a way he had of going 'snuzzling' about the calves of
strangers, were not pleasant for nervous people. Tom, however,
was used to dogs, and soon became friends with him, which
evidently pleased his host. And then the breakfast arrived, all
smoking, and with it the two other ingenious youths, in velvet
caps and far more gorgeous apparel, so far as colors went, than
Drysdale. They were introduced to Tom, who thought them somewhat
ordinary and rather loud young gentlemen. One of them
remonstrated vigorously against the presence of that confounded
dog, and so Jack was sent to lie down in a corner, and then the
four fell to work upon the breakfast.

It was a good lesson in gastronomy, but the results are scarcely
worth repeating here. It is wonderful, though, how you feel
drawn to a man who feeds you well; and, as Tom's appetite got
less, his liking and respect for his host undoubtedly increased.

When they had nearly finished, in walked the Honorable Piers, a
tall slight man, two or three years older than the rest of them;
good looking, and very well and quietly dressed, but with the
drawing up of his nostril, and a drawing down of the corners of
his mouth, which set Tom against him at once. The cool,
supercilious half-nod, moreover, to which he treated our hero
when introduced to him, was enough to spoil his digestion, and
hurt his self-love a good deal more than he would have liked to
own.

"Here, Henry," said the Honorable Piers to the scout in
attendance, seating himself, and inspecting the half-cleared
dishes; "what is there for my breakfast?"

Henry bustled about, and handed a dish or two.

"I don't want these cold things; haven't you kept me any
gudgeon?"

"Why sir" said Henry, "there was only two dozen this morning,
and Mr. Drysdale told me to cook them all.

"To be sure I did," said Drysdale. "Just half a dozen for each
of us four: they were first-rate. If you can't get here at
half-past nine, you won't get gudgeon, I can tell you."

"Just