neering, and Stobbles had ever been
shut up by three happier people, glad as most people were to shut it up,
they must have been superlatively happy indeed. But first Bella mounted
upon Rumty's Perch, and said, 'Show me what you do here all day long,
dear Pa. Do you write like this?' laying her round cheek upon her plump
left arm, and losing sight of her pen in waves of hair, in a highly
unbusiness-like manner. Though John Rokesmith seemed to like it.

So, the three hobgoblins, having effaced all traces of their feast, and
swept up the crumbs, came out of Mincing Lane to walk to Holloway; and
if two of the hobgoblins didn't wish the distance twice as long as it
was, the third hobgoblin was much mistaken. Indeed, that modest spirit
deemed himself so much in the way of their deep enjoyment of the
journey, that he apologetically remarked: 'I think, my dears, I'll take
the lead on the other side of the road, and seem not to belong to you.'
Which he did, cherubically strewing the path with smiles, in the absence
of flowers.

It was almost ten o'clock when they stopped within view of Wilfer
Castle; and then, the spot being quiet and deserted, Bella began a
series of disappearances which threatened to last all night.

'I think, John,' the cherub hinted at last, 'that if you can spare me
the young person distantly related to myself, I'll take her in.'

'I can't spare her,' answered John, 'but I must lend her to you.'--My
Darling!' A word of magic which caused Bella instantly to disappear
again.

'Now, dearest Pa,' said Bella, when she became visible, 'put your hand
in mine, and we'll run home as fast as ever we can run, and get it over.
Now, Pa. Once!--'

'My dear,' the cherub faltered, with something of a craven air, 'I was
going to observe that if your mother--'

'You mustn't hang back, sir, to gain time,' cried Bella, putting out her
right foot; 'do you see that, sir? That's the mark; come up to the mark,
sir. Once! Twice! Three times and away, Pa!' Off she skimmed, bearing
the cherub along, nor ever stopped, nor suffered him to stop, until she
had pulled at the bell. 'Now, dear Pa,' said Bella, taking him by both
ears as if he were a pitcher, and conveying his face to her rosy lips,
'we are in for it!'

Miss Lavvy came out to open the gate, waited on by that attentive
cavalier and friend of the family, Mr George Sampson. 'Why, it's never
Bella!' exclaimed Miss Lavvy starting back at the sight. And then
bawled, 'Ma