h, sir," said the
Captain; "you can't expect a man to have his head clear at such a
moment."

"Not a man, perhaps; but I should a ghost," said Blake.

"Time was everything to him," went on the Captain, without
regarding the interruption, "space nothing. But the strangest
part of it is that _I_ should have seen the figure at all. It's
true I had been thinking of the old uncle, because of the boy's
illness; but I can't suppose he was thinking of me, and, as I
say, he never recognized me. I have taken a great deal of
interest in such matters since that time, but I have never met
with just such a case as this."

"No, that is the puzzle. One can fancy his appearing to his
nephew well enough," said Tom.

"We can't account for these things, or for a good many other
things which ought to be quite as startling, only we see them
every day. But now I think it is time for us to be going, eh
Jack?" and the Captain and his son rose to go.

Tom saw that it would be no kindness to them to try to prolong
the sitting, and so he got up too, to accompany them to the
gates. This broke up the party. Before going, Drysdale, after
whispering to Tom, went up to Captain Hardy, and said,--

"I want to ask you to do me a favour, sir. Will you and your son
breakfast with me to-morrow?"

"We shall be very happy, sir," said the Captain.

"I think, father, you had better breakfast with me, quietly. We
are much obliged to Mr. Drysdale, but I can't give up a whole
morning. Besides, I have several things to talk to you about."

"Nonsense, Jack," blurted out the old sailor, "leave your books
alone for one morning. I'm come up here to enjoy myself, and see
your friends."

Hardy gave a slight shrug of his shoulder at the word friends,
and Drysdale, who saw it, looked a little confused. He had never
asked Hardy to his rooms before. The Captain saw that something
was the matter, and hastened in his own way to make all smooth
again.

"Never mind Jack, sir," he said, "he shall come. It's a great
treat to me to be with young men, especially when they are
friends of my boy."

"I hope you'll come as a personal favor to me," said Drysdale,
turning to Hardy. "Brown, you'll bring him, won't you?"

"Oh yes, I'm sure he'll come," said Tom.

"That's all right. Good night, then;" and Drysdale went off.

Hardy and Tom accompanied the Captain to the gate. During his
passage across the two quadrangles, the old gentleman was full of
the praises of the