e to speak to you, sir, concerning your son who
is abroad, and to ask if you have recently heard from himself or his
uncle."

"O, then, I presume, sir," replied Lindsay, "you are an acquaintance
or friend of his; if so, allow me to bid you welcome; nothing, I assure
you, could afford either myself or my family greater pleasure than to
meet and show attention to any friend of his. Unfortunately, we have
heard nothing from him or his uncle for nearly the last year and a half;
but, you will be doubly welcome, sir, if you can assure us that they are
both well. His uncle, or rather I should, say his grand-uncle, for in
that relation he stands to him, adopted him, and a kinder man does not
live."

"I believe Mr. Woodward and his uncle are both well, the former, I
think, sir, is your step-son only."

"Don't say only, sir, he is just as much the son of my affection as his
brother, and now, sir, may I request to know the name of the gentleman I
am addressing?"

"Should you wish to see Henry Woodward himself, sir?"

"Dear sir, nothing would delight me more, and all of us, especially his
mother; yet the ungrateful boy would never come near us, although he was
pressed and urged to do so a hundred times."

"Well, then, sir," replied that gentleman, rising up, "he now stands
before you; I am Henry Woodward, father."

A hug that half strangled him was the first acknowledgment of his
identity. "Zounds, my dear Harry--Harry, my dear boy, you're welcome a
thousand times, ten thousand times. Stand off a little till I look at
you; fine young fellow, and your mother's image. Gadzooks, I was stupid
as a block not to know you; but who would have dreamed of it. There, I
say--hallo, Jenny!--come here, all of you; here is Harry at last. Are
you all deaf, or asleep?"

These words he shouted out at the top of his voice, and in a few minutes
his mother, Charles, and his sister Maria entered the room, the two
latter in a state of transport.

"Here, Jenny, here he is; you have the first claim; confound it,
Charley, Maria, don't strangle the boy; ha, ha, ha!"

In fact, the precaution, so far as the affectionate brother and sister
were concerned, was anything but needless. His mother, seeing their
eagerness to embrace him, which they did with tears of delight, stood
calmly by until he was disentangled from their arms, when she approached
him and imprinted two kisses upon his lips, with an indifference of
manner that, to a stranger, would h