many and valuable friends I hope, your humble
servant among the number. It must be dull, though, at this court. Now
at Saint--"

"That's my last piece of bread, Selby," said Andrew hastily. "Give me a
bit of biscuit."

"Certainly, if I have one left," was the smiling reply, with another
almost imperceptible nod. "Yes, here is the last. Of course you must
find it dull, and we have not seen you lately at the club, my dear
fellow. By the way, why not bring Mr Gowan with you next time?"

"Oh, he would hardly care to come. He does not care for politics, eh,
Frank?"

"I don't understand them," said the boy quietly.

"You soon will now you are resident in town, Mr Gowan; and I hope you
will favour us by accompanying your friend Forbes. Only a little
gathering of gentlemen, young, clever, and I hope enthusiastic. You
will come?"

"I--that is--"

"Say yes, Frank, and don't be so precious modest. He will bring up a
bit of country now and then. But he is fast growing into a man of
town."

"What nonsense, Drew!" cried the boy quickly.

"Yes, what nonsense!" said the new acquaintance, smiling. "Believe me,
Mr Gowan, we do not talk of town at our little social club. I shall
look forward to seeing you there as my guest. What do you say to
Monday?"

"I say yes for both of us," said Andrew quickly.

"I am very glad. There, my last biscuit has gone, so till Monday
evening I will say good-bye--_au revoir_."

"Stick to the English, Selby," said Andrew sharply. "French is not
fashionable at Saint James's."

"You are quite right, my dear Forbes. Good-bye, Mr Gowan. It is a
pleasure to shake your father's son by the hand. Till Monday then, my
dear Forbes;" and with a more courtly bow than ever, the gentleman
stalked slowly away, with one hand raising a laced handkerchief to his
face, the other resting upon his sword hilt.

"Glad we met him," said Andrew quickly, and he looked unusually excited.
"One of the best of men. You will like him, Frank."

"But you should not have been so ready to accept a stranger's invitation
for me."

"Pooh! he isn't a stranger. He'll be grateful to you for going. Big
family the Selbys, and he'll be very rich some day. Wonderful how fond
he is, though, of feeding the ducks."

"Yes, he seems to be," said Frank; and he accompanied his companion as
the latter strolled on now along the bank after finishing the
distribution of bread to the feathered fowl by sending nearly a