at I am not ungrateful--that I never forget--and that
if I can ever prove the truth of my words to you, I will.'

'That's all right,' observed Martin, leaning back in his chair with a
hand in each pocket, and yawning drearily. 'Very fine talking, Tom;
but I'm at Pecksniff's, I remember, and perhaps a mile or so out of the
high-road to fortune just at this minute. So you've heard again this
morning from what's his name, eh?'

'Who may that be?' asked Tom, seeming to enter a mild protest on behalf
of the dignity of an absent person.

'YOU know. What is it? Northkey.'

'Westlock,' rejoined Tom, in rather a louder tone than usual.

'Ah! to be sure,' said Martin, 'Westlock. I knew it was something
connected with a point of the compass and a door. Well! and what says
Westlock?'

'Oh! he has come into his property,' answered Tom, nodding his head, and
smiling.

'He's a lucky dog,' said Martin. 'I wish it were mine instead. Is that
all the mystery you were to tell me?'

'No,' said Tom; 'not all.'

'What's the rest?' asked Martin.

'For the matter of that,' said Tom, 'it's no mystery, and you won't
think much of it; but it's very pleasant to me. John always used to say
when he was here, "Mark my words, Pinch. When my father's executors cash
up"--he used strange expressions now and then, but that was his way.'

'Cash-up's a very good expression,' observed Martin, 'when other people
don't apply it to you. Well!--What a slow fellow you are, Pinch!'

'Yes, I am I know,' said Tom; 'but you'll make me nervous if you tell me
so. I'm afraid you have put me out a little now, for I forget what I was
going to say.'

'When John's father's executors cashed up,' said Martin impatiently.

'Oh yes, to be sure,' cried Tom; 'yes. "Then," says John, "I'll give you
a dinner, Pinch, and come down to Salisbury on purpose." Now, when John
wrote the other day--the morning Pecksniff left, you know--he said his
business was on the point of being immediately settled, and as he was to
receive his money directly, when could I meet him at Salisbury? I wrote
and said, any day this week; and I told him besides, that there was a
new pupil here, and what a fine fellow you were, and what friends we
had become. Upon which John writes back this letter'--Tom produced
it--'fixes to-morrow; sends his compliments to you; and begs that we
three may have the pleasure of dining together; not at the house where
you and I were, either; but at the very first