or twice.

"So good-night, Mr. Titmouse--good-night! God bless you! and think
hereafter of all this as a mere idle dream--as far as _we_ are
concerned!" Mr. Gammon, in the act of returning to the door, extended
his hand to Mr. Titmouse, whom he instantly perceived to be melting
rapidly.

"Why, sir," quoth Titmouse, with a mixture of embarrassment and alarm,
"if I thought you all meant the correct thing--hem! I say, the _correct_
thing by me--I shouldn't so much mind a little disappointment for the
time; but you must own, Mr. Gammon, it is very hard being kept out of
one's own so long--honor, now! isn't it?"

"True, very true, Mr. Titmouse. Very hard it is, indeed, to bear, and we
all felt deeply for you, and would have set everything in train"----

"_Would have!_ oh my stars!"----

"Yes, my dear Mr. Titmouse, we _would_ have done it, and believed we
could have brought you through every difficulty--over every obstacle,
prodigious though they are, and almost innumerable."

"Why--you--don't--hardly--quite--mean to say you've given it all
up?--What, already! 'Pon my life! Oh Lord!" exclaimed Titmouse, in
evident trepidation.

Mr. Gammon had triumphed over Mr. Titmouse! whom, nothing loath, he
brought back, in two minutes' time, into the room which Titmouse had
just before so insolently quitted. Mr. Quirk and Mr. Snap had now
_their_ parts to perform in the little scene which they had determined
on enacting. They were in the act of locking up desks and drawers,
evidently on the move, and received Mr. Titmouse with an air of cold
surprise.

"Mr. Titmouse again!" exclaimed Mr. Quirk, taking his gloves out of his
hat. "Back again!--This, sir, is quite an unexpected honor!"

"Leave anything behind?" inquired Mr. Snap, affecting to look about
him--"don't _see_ anything"----

"Oh no, sir! No, sir!" exclaimed Titmouse, with eager anxiety. "This
gent, Mr. Gammon, and I, have made it all up, gents! I'm not angry any
more--not the least, 'pon my soul I'm not--and quite forgive you--and no
mistake!"

"_Angry!_--_Forgive!!_ Mr. Titmouse!" echoed Mr. Quirk, with an air
sternly ironical. "We are under great obligations to you for your
forbearance!"

"Oh, come, gents!" said Titmouse, more and more disturbed, "I _was_ too
warm, I dare say, and--and--I ask your pardon, all of you, gents! I
won't say another word if you'll but buckle to business again--quite
exactly in your own way--because you see"----

"It's growing _very_