e independent of her. If the
house belongs to him, the rent will more than meet any demands he may
make upon her purse--and it will be pleasant for both parties--and my
mother will pay more respect to my father."

"I shall do it with pleasure, Tom. You deserve money, for you make a
good use of it--I must say that. Come to me to-morrow."

The next day I went to my father, and gave him the deed by which he was
owner of my mother's house. "Well, now, Tom," said he, after I had
explained why I did so, "this is the kindest thing that ever was done,
and God bless you, boy, and a thousand thanks. I shan't mind now
calling for two extra pots of porter when I have friends--and I say,
Tom, is the garden mine too?"

"Yes, and the summer-house, father, all your own property."

"Well, then," replied he, chuckling, "I have a bit of land of my own to
stick my timber toe on after all. Well, I never did expect that. I
must go up there, and stand upon it, and feel how I feel."

I communicated to my mother that my father was in future her landlord,
at which she expressed much surprise, until I told her how I became
possessed of the money. When my father came in, which he did shortly
after, she said rather sharply:--

"Well, Mr Saunders, I suppose I must pay you my rent now every
quarter?"

"Pay me!" exclaimed my father; "come, not so bad as that, neither.
Haven't you found me in beer, without a grumble, for these many years,
and do you think I've forgotten it? No, no! You've been a kind woman
to me, after all, although things did go a little cross at first, and so
here's the paper for you to keep for me; and there's an end of the
matter, only--"

"Only what?" inquired my mother, looking very kindly at my father.

"Only let's have a pot of beer now, to drink Tom's health, that's all."

Having thus satisfactorily settled this point, I returned to Chatham. I
had promised to take a farewell of my sister and the O'Connors, as I
expected they would leave previous to my again coming up the river.

CHAPTER FIFTY.

AN ADVENTURE WHICH AT FIRST PROMISED TO BE THE MOST UNFORTUNATE, AND
EVENTUALLY PROVED THE MOST FORTUNATE IN MY LIFE.

As Sir James O'Connor would have to remain at least a fortnight longer
at Chatham, until his ship was paid off, I made Lady O'Connor promise to
write to me, and then started for Deal. I found Bramble and Bessy as
usual delighted to see me, and Mrs Maddox was as talkative as ever. I
recei