servant has cleared the things
away, and you can't expect her to bring them up again for your
pleasure."

"Thank you, Aunt Deb," I answered. "But I'll just run and see."

To my infinite satisfaction, on going into the parlour I found the table
still covered with roast beef, and pies, tarts, and puddings; for Mr
Butterfield liked the good things of this life, and wished his friends
to enjoy them also. Didn't I tuck in. I often afterwards thought of
that luncheon; it presented itself to me in my dreams; I recollected it
with longing affection during my waking hours. I helped myself to two
or three glasses of wine to wash down the food. With a sigh of regret I
felt that I could eat no more. I then stowed myself away in a
comfortable arm-chair in the corner of the room, and very naturally fell
fast asleep. I had a dim recollection of seeing Aunt Deb come into the
room to look for me, but as I didn't speak, she left the room supposing
that I had gone out of the house to take another walk. When I awoke
Martha was laying the things for dinner.

"Why, Master Cheveley, Miss Deborah has been asking for you for ever so
long," she said. "You had better go and see her, for she's in a
dreadful taking, I can assure you."

I knew Aunt Deb too well to venture into her presence under the
circumstances if I could avoid it, so I ran into my room, washed my
hands, and brushed my hair, so as to present myself in a respectable
state before Mr Butterfield. I watched for him till he went into the
drawing-room, and then followed. Aunt Deb had not yet come down. I was
thinking of asking him about my going to sea on board the "Emu." He
didn't give me the opportunity, but he at once questioned me as to what
I had seen in the city.

"You think Liverpool a very fine place?" he remarked.

"Yes, sir, a very fine place indeed," I answered boldly.

But when he came to inquire where I had been, and what part I admired
most, I was nonplussed, and had nothing to say about the matter. My
thoughts had been entirely occupied with the docks and the shipping.

"Ah, yes, Liverpool has become an important port; superior to Bristol,
or Hull; and some day we shall be equal to London, we flatter
ourselves."

I thought this would be a good opportunity of telling him how fond I was
of the sea, and that I hoped he would let me go on board one of his
ships, when just at that moment Aunt Deb entered. She began scolding me
for having absented mys