e?"

"You are to call me Guy, not _Mister_ Foster," said the lad, gaily. "I
want to know where you are to be found after six this evening."

"At the `Three Jolly Tars,'" answered Bax, clapping on his glazed hat.

"All right, I'll look you up. Good-day."

"Guy Foster," shouted Mr Denham from the inner room.

"Yes, uncle," and in another moment the youth was standing, pen in hand,
in the august presence of his relative, who regarded him with a cold
stare of displeasure.

There could scarcely have been conceived a stronger contrast in nature
than that which existed between the starched, proud, and portly uncle,
and the tall, handsome, and hearty young nephew, whose age was scarcely
twenty years.

"How often am I to tell you, sir," said Mr Denham, "that `yes, uncle,'
is much too familiar and unbusinesslike a phrase to be used in this
office in the hearing of your fellow-clerks?"

"I beg pardon, uncle, I'm sure I had no intention of--"

"There, that will do, I want no apology, I want obedience and attention
to my expressed wishes. I suppose that you expect to get away for a few
days' holiday?"

"Well, unc--, sir, I mean, if it is quite convenient I should--"

"It is _not_ quite convenient," interrupted the uncle. "It cannot
possibly, at any time, be convenient to dispense with the services of a
clerk in a house where no supernumeraries are kept to talk slang and
read the newspapers. I see no reason whatever in young men in ordinary
health expecting as a right, two or three weeks' leave each year without
deduction of salary. _I_ never go to the country or to the sea-side
from one year's end to the other."

"You'd be much the better for it if you did, uncle," interposed Guy.

"That, _sir_," retorted Denham with emphasis, "is _your_ opinion, and
you will allow me to say that it is erroneous, as most of your opinions,
I am sorry to find, are. _I_ find that no change is necessary for my
health. I am in better condition than many who go to Margate every
summer. I thrive on town air, sir, and on city life."

There was much truth in these observations. The worthy merchant did
indeed seem to enjoy robust health, and there could be no question that,
as far as physical appearances went, he did thrive on high living, foul
air, and coining money. Tallow and tar sent forth delicious odours to
him, and thick smoke was pleasant to his nostrils, for he dealt largely
in coal, and all of these, with many kindred subs