Major, old boy, how goes it?"

"Eh?--what--how!--who is this? It can't be--egad, sure it is, though.
Charley! Charley O'Malley, you scapegrace, where have you been? When did
you join?"

"A week ago, Major. I could resist it no longer. I did my best to be a
country gentleman, and behave respectably, but the old temptation was too
strong for me. Fred Power and yourself, Major, had ruined my education; and
here I am once more among you."

"And so Picton and the arrest and all that, was nothing but a joke?" said
the old fellow, rolling his wicked eyes with a most cunning expression.

"Nothing more, Major, set your heart at rest."

"What a scamp you are," said he, with another grin. "Il est mon fils--il
est mon fils, Curey," presenting me, as he spoke, while the burgomaster, in
whose eyes the major seemed no inconsiderable personage, saluted me with
profound respect.

Turning at once towards this functionary, I explained that I was the
bearer of important despatches, and that my horse--I was ashamed to say my
mule--having fallen lame, I was unable to proceed.

"Can you procure me a remount, Monsieur?" said I, "for I must hasten on to
Courtrai."

"In half an hour you shall be provided, as well as with a mounted guide for
the road. Le fils de son Excellence," said he, with emphasis, bowing to the
major as he spoke; who, in his turn, repaid the courtesy with a still lower
obeisance.

"Sit down, Charley; here is a clean glass. I am delighted to see you, my
boy! They tell me you have got a capital estate and plenty of ready. Lord,
we so wanted you, as there's scarcely a fellow with sixpence among us. Give
me the lad that can do a bit of paper at three months, and always be ready
for a renewal. You haven't got a twenty-pound note?" This was said _sotto
voce_. "Never mind; ten will do. You can give me the remainder at Brussels.
Strange, is it not, I have not seen a bit of clean bank paper like this for
above a twelvemonth!" This was said as he thrust his hand into his pocket,
with one of those peculiar leers upon his countenance which, unfortunately,
betrayed more satisfaction at his success than gratitude for the service.
"You are looking fat--too fat, I think," said he, scrutinizing me from head
to foot; "but the life we are leading just now will soon take that off. The
slave-trade is luxurious indolence compared to it. Post haste to Nivelle
one day; down to Ghent the next; forty miles over a paved road in a
hand-gallop