as far as the door, which commanded a view of it,
and saw several trunks cased in canvas pitched into the hall, and by
careful Tom and a boy lifted one on top of the other, behind the corner
of the banister. It would have been below the dignity of his cloth to go
out and read the labels on these, or the Doctor would have done
otherwise, so great was his curiosity.

CHAPTER III

Philip Feltram

The new guest was now in the hall of the George, and Doctor Torvey could
hear him talking with Mr. Turnbull. Being himself one of the dignitaries
of Golden Friars, the Doctor, having regard to first impressions, did
not care to be seen in his post of observation; and closing the door
gently, returned to his chair by the fire, and in an under-tone informed
his cronies that there was a new arrival in the George, and he could not
hear, but would not wonder if he were taking a private room; and he
seemed to have trunks enough to build a church with.

"Don't be too sure we haven't Sir Bale on board," said Amerald, who
would have followed his crony the Doctor to the door--for never was
retired naval hero of a village more curious than he--were it not that
his wooden leg made a distinct pounding on the floor that was inimical,
as experience had taught him, to mystery.

"That can't be," answered the Doctor; "Charley Twyne knows everything
about it, and has a letter every second day; and there's no chance of
Sir Bale before the tenth; this is a tourist, you'll find. I don't know
what the d---l keeps Turnbull; he knows well enough we are all naturally
willing to hear who it is."

"Well, he won't trouble us here, I bet ye;" and catching deaf Mr.
Hollar's eye, the Captain nodded, and pointed to the little table beside
him, and made a gesture imitative of the rattling of a dice-box; at
which that quiet old gentleman also nodded sunnily; and up got the
Captain and conveyed the backgammon-box to the table, near Hollar's
elbow, and the two worthies were soon sinc-ducing and catre-acing, with
the pleasant clatter that accompanies that ancient game. Hollar had
thrown sizes and made his double point, and the honest Captain, who
could stand many things better than Hollar's throwing such throws so
early in the evening, cursed his opponent's luck and sneered at his
play, and called the company to witness, with a distinctness which a
stranger to smiling Hollar's deafness would have thought hardly civil;
and just at this moment the door o