es, and was presently lurching along its
contracted passage. As luck would have it, however, he got into his host's
dressing-room, where that worthy slept; and when Jawleyford jumped up in
the morning, as was his wont, to see what sort of a day it was, he trod on
Jack's face, who had fallen down in his clothes alongside of the bed, and
Jawleyford broke Jack's spectacles across the bridge of his nose.

'Rot it!' roared Jack, jumping up, 'don't ride over a fellow that way!'
When, shaking himself to try whether any limbs were broken, he found he was
in his dress clothes instead of in the roomy garments of the Flat Hat Hunt.
'Who are you? where am I? what the deuce do you mean by breaking my specs?'
he exclaimed, squinting frightfully at his host.

'My dear sir,' exclaimed Mr. Jawleyford, from the top of his night-shirt,
'I'm very sorry, but--'

'Hang your _buts_! you shouldn't ride so near a man!' exclaimed Jack,
gathering up the fragments of his spectacles; when, recollecting himself,
he finished by saying, 'Perhaps I'd better go to my own room.'

'Perhaps you had,' replied Mr. Jawleyford, advancing towards the door to
show him the way.

'Let me have a candle,' said Jack, preparing to follow.

'Candle, my dear fellow! why, it's broad daylight,' replied his host.

'Is it?' said Jack, apparently unconscious of the fact. 'What's the hour?'

'Five minutes to eight,' replied Jawleyford, looking at a timepiece.

When Jack got into his own den he threw himself into an old invalid chair,
and sat rubbing the fractured spectacles together as if he thought they
would unite by friction, though in reality he was endeavouring to run the
overnight's proceedings through his mind. The more he thought of Amelia's
winning ways, the more satisfied he was that he had made an impression, and
then the more vexed he was at having his spectacles broken: for though he
considered himself very presentable without them, still he could not but
feel that they were a desirable addition. Then, too, he had a splitting
headache; and finding that breakfast was not till ten and might be a good
deal later, all things considered, he determined to be off and follow up
his success under more favourable auspices. Considering that all the
clothes he had with him were his lordship's, he thought it immaterial which
he went home in, so to save trouble he just wrapped himself up in his
mackintosh and travelled in the dress ones he had on.

[Illustration]

I