worth some L10,000 or
L12,000 a-year at the least!"

"You--don't--say--so!" exclaimed Titmouse, elevating his hands and
opening his eyes with amazement--"Oh, gents, I do believe we're all
dreaming! Is it all true, indeed?"

"It is, Mr. Titmouse--and we are very proud and happy indeed to be the
honored instruments of establishing your rights, my dear sir," said Mr.
Gammon, in a most impressive manner.

"Then all the money that's been spent this ten or twelve years has been
_my_ money, has it?"

"_If_ we are right, it is undoubtedly as you say," answered Mr. Quirk,
giving a quick apprehensive glance at Mr. Gammon.

"Then there'll be a jolly reckoning for some one, shortly--eh? My
stars!"

"My dear Mr. Titmouse," said Mr. Gammon, gravely, "you have no more than
a just regard for your own interests. There _will_ be a reckoning, and a
very terrible one ere long, for somebody--but we've a vast deal to go
through, and a vast deal of money to be spent, before we come to discuss
_that_ matter! Only let us have the unspeakable happiness of seeing you
once fairly in possession of your estates, and our office shall know no
rest till you have got all you may be entitled to--even to the
uttermost farthing!"

"Oh, never fear our letting them rest!" said Mr. Quirk, judiciously
accommodating himself to the taste and apprehension of his excited
auditor--"Those that must give up the goose, must give up the giblets
also--ha, ha, ha!" Messrs. Gammon and Snap echoed the laugh, duly
tickled with the joke of the head of the firm.

"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Mr. Titmouse, immensely excited by the conjoint
influence of the brandy, and the news of the night; "capital! capital!
hurrah! Such goings on there will be! You're all of the right sort,
gents, I see! 'Pon my life, law for ever! There's _nothing_ like it!
Let's all shake hands, gents! Come, if you please, all together! all
friends to-night!" And the little fellow grasped each of the three
readily-proffered right hands of Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, with
an energy that was likely to make all the high contracting parties to
that quadruple alliance, remember its ratification.

"And is it all a _ready-money_ affair, gents?--or _rent_, and all _that_
kind of thing?" he inquired, after many eloquent expressions of delight.

"Why, almost entirely the latter," answered Mr. Quirk, "except the
accumulations."

"Then, 'pon my soul--I'm a great landlord, am I?"

"Indeed, my dear Mr. Tit