n," muttered Andy, who, although he heard the question, affected not
to have done so, and made this an excuse for inserting himself between
them and the door.

"I was asking if Mr. Dalton lived here!" cried Jekyl, louder, and
staring with some astonishment at the old fellow's manoeuvre.

"Who said he did, eh?" said Andy, with an effort at fierceness.

"Perhaps it 's on the lower story?" asked Onslow.

"Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't, then!" was the answer.

"We wish to see him, my good man," said Jekyl; "or, at least, to send a
message to him."

"Sure! I know well enough what ye want," said Andy, with a wave of his
hand. "'T is n't the first of yer like I seen!"

"And what may that be?" asked Onslow, not a little amused by the blended
silliness and shrewdness of the old man's face.

"Ay eh! I know yez well," rejoined he, shaking his head. "Be off, then,
and don't provoke the house! Away wid yez, before the servants sees ye."

"This is a rare fellow," said Onslow, who, less interested than his
companion about the visit, was quite satisfied to amuse himself with old
Andy. "So you 'll not even permit us to send our respects, and ask how
your master is?"

"I'm certain you'll be more reasonable," simpered Jekyl, as he drew a
very weighty-looking purse from his pocket, and, with a considerable
degree of ostentation, seemed preparing to open it.

The notion of bribery, and in such a cause, was too much for Andy's
feelings; and with a sudden jerk of his hand, he dashed the purse out
of Jekyl's fingers, and scattered the contents all over the landing and
stairs. "Ha, ha!" cried he, wildly, "'t is only ha'pence he has, after
all!" And the taunt was so far true that the ground was strewn with
kreutzers and other copper coins of the very smallest value.

As for Onslow, the scene was too ludicrous for him any longer to
restrain his laughter; and although Jekyl laughed too, and seemed to
relish the absurdity of his mistake, as he called it, having put in his
pocket a collection of rare and curious coins, his cheek, as he bent to
gather them up, was suffused with a deeper flush than the mere act of
stooping should occasion. It was precisely at this moment that Kate
Dalton made her appearance.

"What is the matter, Andy?" asked she, turning to the old man, who
appeared, by his air and attitude, as if determined to guard the
doorway.

"Two spalpeens, that want to take the master; that's what it is," said
he, in a voice