, and
fixing them across his nose--"Hah! why yes--it is Japhet, is it not?"

"It is indeed, sir," said I, again offering my hand, which he shook
warmly.

"Not quite so hard, my dear fellow, this time," said the old lawyer; "I
acknowledge your vigour, and that is sufficient. I am very glad to see
you; Japhet, I am indeed--you--you scamp--you ungrateful fellow. Sit
down--sit down--first help me off with my great coat: I presume the
advertisement has brought you into existence again. Well, it's all
true; and you have at last found your father, or, rather, he has found
you. And what's more strange, you hit upon the right person; that is
strange--very strange indeed."

"Where is he, sir?" interrupted I, "where is he--take me to him."

"No, rather be excused," replied Mr Masterton, "for he is gone to
Ireland, so you must wait."

"Wait, sir, oh no--I must follow him."

"That will only do harm; for he is rather a queer sort of an old
gentleman, and although he acknowledges that he left you as _Japhet_ and
has searched for you, yet he is so afraid of somebody else's brat being
put upon him, that he insists upon most undeniable proofs. Now, we
cannot trace you from the hospital unless we can find that fellow
Cophagus, and we have made every search after him, and no one can tell
where he is."

"But I left him but yesterday morning, sir," replied I.

"Good--very good; we must send for him or go to him; besides, he has the
packet intrusted to the care of Miss Maitland, to whom he was executor,
which proves the marriage of your father. Very strange--very strange
indeed, that you should have hit upon it as you did--almost
supernatural. However, all right now, my dear boy, and I congratulate
you. Your father is a very strange person: he has lived like a despot
among slaves all his life, and will not be thwarted, I can tell you. If
you say a word in contradiction he'll disinherit you:--terrible old
tiger, I must say. If it had not been for your sake, I should have done
with him long ago. He seems to think the world ought to be at his feet.
Depend upon it, Japhet, there is no hurry about seeing him;--and see
him you shall not, until we have every proof of your identity ready to
produce to him, I hope you have the bump of veneration strong, Japhet,
and plenty of filial duty, or you will be kicked out of the house in a
week. Damn me, if he didn't call me an old thief of a lawyer."

"Indeed, sir," replied I, laughing;