ll acquainted with each other. No wonder, then, that the wit
flowed fast and furious, and that the guests all agreed afterwards that
they had never spent such a jolly Christmas, and that the best of all
possible hosts was Squire Tregarthen!

First we must introduce some of the Squire's guests to our readers. The
Reverend Arthur Manley, a clever young clergyman with a taste for
gardening, was talking in one corner to Miss Phipps, a pretty girl of
some twenty summers. Captain Bolsover, a smart cavalry officer, together
with Professor and Mrs. Smith-Smythe from Oxford, formed a small party in
another corner. Handsome Jack Ellison was, as usual, in deep conversation
with the beautiful Miss Holden, who, it was agreed among the ladies of
the party, was not altogether indifferent to his fine figure and
remarkable prospects. There were other guests, but as they chiefly played
the part of audience in the events which followed their names will not be
of any special interest to our readers. Suffice it to say that they were
all intelligent, well-dressed, and ready for any sort of fun.

(_Now, thank heaven, we can begin_.)

A burst of laughter from Captain Bolsover attracted general attention,
and everybody turned in his direction.

"By Jove, Professor, that's good," he said, as he slapped his knee; "you
must tell the others that."

"It was just a little incident that happened to me to-day as I was coming
down here," said the Professor, as he beamed round on the company. "I
happened to be rather late for my train, and as I bought my ticket I
asked the clerk what time it was. He replied, 'If it takes six seconds
for a clock to strike six, how long will it take to strike twelve?' I
said twelve seconds, but it seems I was wrong."

The others all said twelve seconds too, but they were all wrong. Can
_you_ guess the right answer?

When the laughter had died down, the Reverend Arthur Manley said:

"That reminds me of an amusing experience which occurred to my
housekeeper last Friday. She was ordering a little fish for my lunch, and
the fishmonger, when asked the price of herrings, replied, 'Three
ha'pence for one and a half,' to which my housekeeper said, 'Then I will
have twelve.' How much did she pay?" He smiled happily at the company.

"One--and--sixpence, of course," said Miss Phipps.

"No, no; ninepence," cried the Squire with a hearty laugh.

Captain Bolsover made it come to Ll 3s. 2-1/2d., and the Professor
thought four