ely.

'Then let him, sir,' retorted Kit; 'what do I care, sir, what he
thinks? why should I care for his thinking, sir, when I know that I
should be a fool, and worse than a fool, sir, to leave the kindest
master and mistress that ever was or can be, who took me out of the
streets a very poor and hungry lad indeed--poorer and hungrier perhaps
than even you think for, sir--to go to him or anybody? If Miss Nell
was to come back, ma'am,' added Kit, turning suddenly to his mistress,
'why that would be another thing, and perhaps if she wanted me, I might
ask you now and then to let me work for her when all was done at home.
But when she comes back, I see now that she'll be rich as old master
always said she would, and being a rich young lady, what could she want
of me? No, no,' added Kit, shaking his head sorrowfully, 'she'll never
want me any more, and bless her, I hope she never may, though I should
like to see her too!'

Here Kit drove a nail into the wall, very hard--much harder than was
necessary--and having done so, faced about again.

'There's the pony, sir,' said Kit--'Whisker, ma'am (and he knows so
well I'm talking about him that he begins to neigh directly,
Sir)--would he let anybody come near him but me, ma'am? Here's the
garden, sir, and Mr Abel, ma'am. Would Mr Abel part with me, Sir, or
is there anybody that could be fonder of the garden, ma'am? It would
break mother's heart, Sir, and even little Jacob would have sense
enough to cry his eyes out, ma'am, if he thought that Mr Abel could
wish to part with me so soon, after having told me, only the other day,
that he hoped we might be together for years to come--'

There is no telling how long Kit might have stood upon the ladder,
addressing his master and mistress by turns, and generally turning
towards the wrong person, if Barbara had not at that moment come
running up to say that a messenger from the office had brought a note,
which, with an expression of some surprise at Kit's oratorical
appearance, she put into her master's hand.

'Oh!' said the old gentleman after reading it, 'ask the messenger to
walk this way.' Barbara tripping off to do as she was bid, he turned
to Kit and said that they would not pursue the subject any further, and
that Kit could not be more unwilling to part with them, than they would
be to part with Kit; a sentiment which the old lady very generously
echoed.

'At the same time, Christopher,' added Mr Garland, glancing at