event was not disagreeable to him.

"Is our noble friend on the sick list?" asked he, with a smile.

"Indisposed," said Temple, with the air of one who knew the value of a
word that was double-shotted.

"I 've got news that will soon rally him," continued Cut-bill. "They've
struck a magnificent vein this morning, and within eighty yards of the
surface. Plmmys, the Welsh inspector, pronounced it good Cardiff, and
says, from the depth of 'the lode,' that it must go a long way."

"Harding did not give me as encouraging news yesterday," said Colonel
Bramleigh, with a dubious smile.

"My tidings date from this morning--yesterday was the day before the
battle; besides, what does Harding know about coal?"

"He knows a little about everything," said Augustus.

"That makes all the difference. What people want is not the men who know
things currently, but know them well and thoroughly. Eh, Captain," said
he to Jack, "what would you say to popular notions about the navy?"

"Cutty's right," said Jack. "Amateurship is all humbug."

"Who is Longworth?" asked Cutbill. "Philip Long-worth?"

"A neighbor of ours; we are not acquainted, but we know that there is
such a person," said Colonel Bramleigh.

"He opines," continued Cutbill, "that this vein of ours runs direct from
his land, and I suspect he's not wrong; and he wants to know what we
mean to do,--he 'll either sell or buy. He came over this morning to
Kilmannock with a French friend, and we took our breakfast together.
Nice fellows, both of them, and wide awake, too; especially the
Frenchman. He was with Lesseps in Egypt, in what capacity I couldn't
find out; but I see he's a shrewd fellow."

"With Lesseps?" said Colonel Bramleigh, showing a quicker and more
eager interest than before; for his lawyer had told him that the French
claimant to his property had been engaged on the works of the Suez
Canal.

"Yes; he spoke as if he knew Lesseps well, and talked of the whole
undertaking like one who understood it."

"And what is he doing here?"

"Writing a book, I fancy; an Irish tour,--one of those mock
sentimentalities with bad politics and false morality Frenchmen
ventilate about England. He goes poking into the cabins and asking the
people about their grievances; and now he says he wants to hear the
other side, and learn what the gentlemen say."

"We 'll have to ask him over here," said Colonel Bramleigh, coolly, as
if the thought had occurred to him then for the