laughing at the other's
face; "he's right as regards me. I 'll give you a hundred and fifty for
the horse without seeing him."

"Oh, mother of Moses! I wish your guardian was like you."

"Why so? What do you mean?"

"I mean this,--that I wish he 'd buy me, too, without seeing me!" And
then, seeing that by their blank looks they had failed to catch his
meaning, he added, "Is n't he one of the Cabinet now?"

"Yes, he is Colonial Secretary."

"That 's the very fellow I want. He 's giving away things every day, that
any one of them would be the making of me."

"What would you take?"

"Whatever I 'd get. There's my answer, whatever I 'd get I'd be a
Bishop, or a Judge, or a boundary Commissioner, or a Treasurer,--I 'd
like to be that best,--or anything in reason they could offer a man of
good family, and who had a seat in the House."

"I think you might get him something; I'm sure you might," said
Heathcote.

"Well, I can try, at all events. I 'll write to-day."

"Will you really?"

"I give you my word on it I 'll say that, independently of all
personal claims of your own, you 're an intimate and old friend, whose
advancement I will accept as a favor done to myself."

"That's the ticket. But mind no examination,--no going before the
Civil Service chaps. I tell you fairly, I would n't take
the Governor-Generalship of India if I had to go up for the
multiplication-table. I think I see myself sitting trembling before
them, one fellow asking me, 'Who invented "pitch and toss"?' and another
inquiring 'Who was the first man ever took pepper with oysters?'"

"Leave all that to Agincourt," said Heathcote; "he'll explain to his
guardian that you were for several sessions a distinguished member of
the House--"

"'T was I that brought 'crowing' in. I used to crow like a cock when old
Sibthorp got up, and set them all off laughing."

"I 'll mention your public services--"

"And don't say that I 'm hard up. Don't make it appear that it 's
because I 'm out at the elbows I 'm going, but just a whim,--the way
Gladstone went to Greece the other day; that's the real dodge, for they
keep the Scripture in mind up in Downing Street, and it's always the
'poor they send empty away.'"

"And you'll dine with us here, at seven?" said Agin-court, rising from
the table.

"That 's as much as to say, 'Cut your lucky now, Gorman; we don't want
you till dinner-time.'"

"You forget that he has got the letter to write about you," s