lad? Better, I hope."

At that moment Mr Kennedy's eye fell on Jacques, who stood in the
doorway, cap in hand, with the usual quiet smile lighting up his
countenance.

"What! Jacques--Jacques Caradoc!" he cried, in astonishment.

"The same, sir; you an' I have know'd each other afore now in the way o'
trade," answered the hunter, as he grasped his old bourgeois by the hand
and wrung it warmly.

Mr Kennedy, senior, was so overwhelmed by the combination of exciting
influences to which he was now subjected, that he plunged his hand into
his pocket for the handkerchief again, and pulled out the fur hat
instead, which he flung angrily at the cat; then using the sleeve of his
coat as a substitute, he proceeded to put a series of abrupt questions
to Jacques and Charley simultaneously.

In the meantime Harry went up to Kate and _stared_ at her. We do not
mean to say that he was intentionally rude to her. No! He went towards
her intending to shake hands, and renew acquaintance with his old
companion; but the moment he caught sight of her he was struck not only
dumb, but motionless. The odd part of it was that Kate, too, was
affected in precisely the same way, and both of them exclaimed mentally,
"Can it be possible?" Their lips, however, gave no utterance to the
question. At length Kate recollected herself, and blushing deeply, held
out her hand, as she said--

"Forgive me, Har--Mr Somerville; I was so surprised at your altered
appearance I could scarcely believe that my old friend stood before me."

Harry's cheeks crimsoned as he seized her hand and said: "Indeed, Ka--
a--Miss--that is, in fact, I've been very ill, and doubtless have
changed somewhat; but the very same thought struck me in regard to
yourself, you are so--so--"

Fortunately for Harry, who was gradually becoming more and more
confused, to the amusement of Charley, who had closely observed the
meeting of his friend and sister, Mr Kennedy came up.

"Eh! what's that? What did you say _struck_ you, Harry, my lad?"

"_You_ did, father, on his arrival," replied Charley, with a broad grin,
"and a very neat back-hander it was."

"Nonsense, Charley," interrupted Harry, with a laugh.--"I was just
saying, sir, that Miss Kennedy is so changed that I could hardly believe
it to be herself."

"And I had just paid Mr Somerville the same compliment, papa," cried
Kate, laughing and blushing simultaneously.

Mr Kennedy thrust his hands into his pockets, fro