ey has been in vain. But I must have solitude at any price, and
the reason why I am consulting you is that you might possibly know of
a house to let in this neighbourhood, where I could be alone and
secure against visitors."

Caleb scratched his head.

"I'm sure, sir, 'tes hard to say. Troy's a powerful place for
knowin' what your neighbour's got for dinner, and they _do_ say as
the Admiral's telescope will carry dro' a brick wall."

Mr. Fogo's face fell.

"Stop a bit," said Caleb more brightly. "About livin' inside o' the
town, now--es that a shiny cannon?"

"A what?"

"A shiny cannon--which es the same as to say, won't et do elst?"

"Oh, a _sine-qua-non_," said Mr. Fogo; "no, I am not particularly
anxious to live in the town itself."

"Wud the matter of a mile up the river be out o' the way?"

"Not at all."

"An' about rent?"

"Within reasonable limits, that would not matter."

"Then my advice to you, sir, es to see the Twins about et."

Mr. Fogo's mild face looked more puzzled than ever. He removed his
spectacles, wiped and resumed them.

"For any reasonable object," he said, "I am ready to see any number
of twins--much as I dislike babies--"

But here Caleb interrupted him by bursting into a roar of laughter
which lasted for half a minute.

"Babbies! Well I--ho! ho!--'scuse me, sir--but aw dear, aw dear!
Babbies! Bab--" Here he slapped his thigh and broke into another
roar, at the end of which he grew fairly black in the face.

"Bless yer innocent heart, sir! They'm a matter o' six foot high,
the both--and risin' forty. Dearlove's their name--and lives up the
river 'long wi' their sister--Peter an' Paul an' Tamsin (which es
short for Thom-a-si-na), an' I've heerd tell as the boys came nigh to
bein' chrisn'd Sihon an' Og, on'y the old Vicar said he'd be blowed
fust--very free wi' his langwidge was th' ould Vicar."

"I should fancy so," said Mr. Fogo; "but you'll excuse me if I don't
quite see, yet, why you advise me to call on these people."

"No offence, sir. On'y they owns Kit's House, that's all."

"I see; and Kit's House is the place you have in your mind."

"That's et, sir."

"And these Dearloves, where do they live?"

"Furder up the river by two mile."

"Could you row me up this afternoon to see them?"

Caleb Trotter rose, and drew the back of his hand across his mouth.

"Wi' all the pleasure in life, sir, as Uncle Zachy said when he gi'ed
his da'ter in marriage."

In