r bore to me.'

'A regular what?'

'Bore!--Ah, I forgot, you don't know our town words. However, come
along.'

They passed by the doors on tiptoe, and their mother upstairs being,
according to Joey's account, in the midst of a nap, Picotee was unwilling
to disturb her; so they went down at once to the kitchen, when forward
rushed Gwendoline the cook, flourishing her floury hands, and Cornelia
the housemaid, dancing over her brush; and these having welcomed and made
Picotee comfortable, who should ring the area-bell, and be admitted down
the steps, but Sol and Dan. The workman-brothers, their day's duties
being over, had called to see their relations, first, as usual, going
home to their lodgings in Marylebone and making themselves as spruce as
bridegrooms, according to the rules of their newly-acquired town
experience. For the London mechanic is only nine hours a mechanic,
though the country mechanic works, eats, drinks, and sleeps a mechanic
throughout the whole twenty-four.

'God bless my soul--Picotee!' said Dan, standing fixed. 'Well--I say,
this is splendid! ha-ha!'

'Picotee--what brought you here?' said Sol, expanding the circumference
of his face in satisfaction. 'Well, come along--never mind so long as
you be here.'

Picotee explained circumstances as well as she could without stating
them, and, after a general conversation of a few minutes, Sol interrupted
with--'Anybody upstairs with Mrs. Petherwin?'

'Mr. Julian was there just now,' said Joey; 'but he may be gone. Berta
always lets him slip out how he can, the form of ringing me up not being
necessary with him. Wait a minute--I'll see.'

Joseph vanished up the stairs; and, the question whether Christopher were
gone or not being an uninteresting one to the majority, the talking went
on upon other matters. When Joey crept down again a minute later,
Picotee was sitting aloof and silent, and he accordingly singled her out
to speak to.

'Such a lark, Picotee!' he whispered. 'Berta's a-courting of her young
man. Would you like to see how they carries on a bit?'

'Dearly I should!' said Picotee, the pupils of her eyes dilating.

Joey conducted her to the top of the basement stairs, and told her to
listen. Within a few yards of them was the morning-room door, now
standing ajar; and an intermittent flirtation in soft male and female
tones could be heard going on inside. Picotee's lips parted at thus
learning the condition of things, and she