rtance
and difficulty to your very superior tact and experience; but _this_
little matter--pshaw!"

"Come, come, Gammon, that's a drop of sweet oil"--

Quirk might well say so, for he felt its softening, smoothing effects
already.

"Upon my word and honor, Mr. Quirk, I'm in earnest. Pshaw!--and you must
know it. I know you too well, my dear sir, to attempt to"----

"Certainly," quoth Quirk, smiling shrewdly, "I must say, those must get
up _very_ early that can find Caleb Quirk napping."--Gammon felt at that
moment that for several years _he_ must have been a very early riser!
And so the matter was arranged in the manner which Gammon had from the
first wished and determined upon, _i. e._ that Mr. Titmouse should be
left entirely to his management; and, after some little discussion as to
the time and manner of the meditated advances, the partners parted. On
entering his own room, Quirk, closing his door, stood for some time
leaning against the side of the window, with his hands in his pockets,
and his eyes instinctively resting on his banker's book, which lay on
the table. He was in a very brown study, the subject on which his
thoughts were busied, being the prudence or imprudence of leaving
Titmouse thus in the hands of Gammon. It might be all very well for
Quirk to _assert_ his self-confidence when in Gammon's presence; but he
did not really feel it. He never left Gammon after any little difference
of opinion, however friendly, without a secret suspicion that somehow or
another Gammon had been too much for him, and always gained his purposes
without giving Quirk any handle of dissatisfaction. In fact, Quirk was
thoroughly afraid of Gammon, and Gammon knew it. In the present
instance, an undefinable but increasing suspicion and discomfort forced
him presently back again into Gammon's room.

"I say, Gammon, you understand, eh?--_Fair play_, you know," he
commenced, with a shy embarrassed air, ill concealed under a forced
smile.

"Pray, Mr. Quirk, what may be your meaning?" inquired Gammon, with
unusual tartness, with an astonished air, and blushing violently, which
was not surprising; for ever since Quirk had quitted him, Gammon's
thoughts had been occupied with only one question, viz. how he should go
to work with Titmouse to satisfy him that he (Gammon) was the only
member of the firm that had a real disinterested regard for him, and so
acquire a valuable control over him! Thus occupied, the observation of
Quirk