shake--after--after what I--"

"There's my hand, Spike!" So their hands met and gripped, the boy's hot
and eagerly tremulous, the man's cool and steady and strong; then of a
sudden Spike choked and turning his back brushed away his tears with his
cap. Also at this moment, with a soft and discreet knock, Mr. Brimberly
opened the door and bowed himself into the room; his attitude was
deferential as always, his smile as respectful, but, beholding Spike,
his round eyes grew rounder and his whiskers slightly bristly.

"Ah, Brimberly," nodded his master, "you are not in bed yet--good!"

"No, sir," answered Mr. Brimberly, "I'm not in bed yet, sir, but when
you rang I was in the very hact, sir--"

"First of all," said Young R., selecting a cigar, "let me introduce you
to--er--my friend, Spike!"

Hereupon Mr. Brimberly rolled his eyes in Spike's direction, glanced him
over, touched either whisker, and bowed--and lo! those fleecy whiskers
were now eloquent of pompous dignity, beholding which Spike shuffled his
feet, averted his eyes, and twisted his cap into a very tight ball
indeed.

But now Brimberly turned his eyes (and his whiskers) on his master, who
had taken out his watch.

"Brimberly," said he, "it is now very nearly two o'clock."

"Very late, sir--oh, very late, sir--indeed, I was in the very hact of
goin' to bed, sir--I'd even unbuttoned my waistcoat, sir, when you
rang--two o'clock, sir--dear me, a most un-'oly hour, sir--"

"Consequently, Brimberly, I am thinking of taking a little outing--"

"Certingly, sir--oh, certingly!"

"And I want some other clothes--"

"Clothes, sir--yessir. There's the noo 'arris tweed, sir--"

"With holes in them, if possible, Brimberly."

"'Oles, sir! Beg parding, sir, but did you say 'oles, sir?"

"Also patches, Brimberly, the bigger the better!"

"Patches! Hexcuse me, sir, but--patches! I beg parding, but--" Mr.
Brimberly laid a feeble hand upon a twitching whisker.

"In a word, Brimberly," pursued his master, seating himself upon the
escritoire and swinging his leg, "I want some old clothes, shabby
clothes--moth-eaten, stained, battered, and torn. Also a muffler and
an old hat. Can you find me some?"

"No, sir, I don't--that is, yessir, I do. Hexcuse me, sir--'arf a
moment, sir." Saying which, Mr. Brimberly bowed and went from the room
with one hand still clutching his whisker very much as though he had
taken himself into custody and were leading himself out.

"Say