d A. Fish, Esq.

"Oh yes, of course!" explained the Doctor-in-Law, "a knitting machine.
I was persuaded to buy it on the understanding that I was to have
constant work all the year round, and be paid so much per pair for
knitting socks with it. It's a most interesting and amusing
occupation, and, I'll tell you what, I don't mind letting any one of
you use the machine for sixpence an hour, if you find your own worsted
and give me the socks when they are finished. There now! nothing
could be fairer than that, could it?"

[Illustration: THE "DITTIG BACHEDE"]

And positively A. Fish, Esq., was so infatuated with the charms of the
"dittig bachede," as he called it, that he actually agreed to these
terms, and sent out for some worsted, and commenced "dittig" with
great enthusiasm. The Doctor-in-Law then set the Rhymester to work,
addressing the envelopes on the understanding that he was to share
the sixpence per thousand to be paid for them. And, having bothered
the Wallypug and myself into buying a pencil-case and a knife each, in
order to get rid of him, he started off to the kitchen to see if he
could do any business with Mrs. Putchy in the knife-polish or
black-lead line.

His Majesty and myself were just saying what an extraordinary little
man he was, when he burst in upon us again.

"Heard the news?" he inquired, his face beaming with importance.

"No. What is it?" inquired the others eagerly.

"Ah! wouldn't you like to know?" exclaimed the Doctor-in-Law. "How
much will you give me for telling you?"

"How much do you want?" asked the Rhymester dubiously.

"A penny each," was the reply.

"Come on then, let's have it," said the Rhymester, collecting the
pennies from the others and handing them to the Doctor-in-Law.

"Why--er--er--Queen Anne is dead, and the Dutch have taken
Holland--yah!" And the little man burst out laughing.

"Oh! I say, that's _too_ bad," grumbled the Wallypug. "Isn't it now?"
he cried, appealing to me.

"Well, really," I replied, "you shouldn't be so silly as to give him
money. You ought to know by this time what to expect from him."

"No, but truly," said the Doctor-in-Law, pulling a serious face, "I
_have_ got some news, the other was only my fun. A lady is going to
call on us at eleven, to interview the Wallypug. I had almost
forgotten it."

"A lady!" I exclaimed. "Whoever do you mean?"

"Oh, she's the Duchess of something. I forget her name," answered the
Doctor-in-Law noncha