of 'em some day,' she said. Lord, how pretty she did look as she said
it;--just laughing and crying, smiling and pouting all at once. She
ain't a bad 'un to look at, Captain?"

"Indeed she is not."

"Nor yet to go. Do you stick to her. Them's my words. 'D' you want
to have that ugly bootmaker?' said I. 'He ain't ugly,' said she. 'D'
you want to have him, Miss?' said I. 'No, I don't,' said she. 'Well!'
said I. 'But I do know him,' said Polly, 'and I don't know Mr. Newton
no more than Adam!' Them were her very words, Captain. Do you stick
to her, Captain. I'll tell you what. Let's all go down to Margate
together for a week." That was Mr. Neefit's plan of action.

Then Ralph got up from his easy-chair and began his explanation. He
couldn't very well go down to Margate, delightful as it would be to
sit upon the sands with Polly. He was so situated that he must at
once decide as to the sale of his property at Newton. Mr. Neefit put
his hands in his pockets, and sat perfectly silent, listening to his
young friend's explanation. If Polly would have accepted him at once,
Ralph went on to explain, everything would have been straight; but,
as she would not do so, he must take his uncle's offer. He had no
other means of extricating himself from his embarrassments. "Why, Mr.
Neefit, I could not look you in the face unless I were prepared to
pay you your money," he said.

"Drat that," replied Neefit, and then again he listened.

Ralph went on. He could not go on long in his present condition. His
bill for L500 to Mr. Horsball of the Moonbeam was coming round. He
literally had not L20 in his possession to carry on the war. His
uncle's offer would be withdrawn if it were not accepted the day
after to-morrow. Nobody else would give half so much. The thing must
be done, and then;--why, then he would have nothing to offer to Polly
worthy of her acceptance. "Bother," said Mr. Neefit, who had not once
taken his eyes off Ralph's face. Ralph said that that might be all
very well, but such were the facts. "You ain't that soft that you're
going to let 'em rob you of the estate?" said the breeches-maker in
a tone of horror. Ralph raised his hands and his eyebrows together.
Yes;--that was what he intended to do.

"There shan't be nothing of the kind," said the breeches-maker.
"What! L7,000 a year, ain't it? All in land, ain't it? And it must
be your own, let 'em do what they will; mustn't it?" He paused a
moment, and Ralph nodded his hea