?' asked Emily.

'No--Foozles be hanged,' sneered Jawleyford; 'they always come--_the
Blossomnoses!_' replied he, with an emphasis.

'The Blossomnoses!' exclaimed both girls, clasping their hands and looking
up at the ceiling.

'What, all of them?' asked Emily.

'All of them,' rejoined Jawleyford.

'Why, that's four,' observed Emily.

'To be sure it is,' replied Jawleyford; 'five, if you count them by
appetites; for old Blossom always eats and drinks as much as two people.'

'What excuse do they give?' asked Amelia.

'Carriage-horse taken suddenly ill,' replied Jawleyford; 'as if that's any
excuse when there are post-horses within half a dozen miles.'

'He wouldn't have been stopped hunting for want of a horse, I dare say,'
observed Amelia.

'I dare say it's all a lie,' observed Jawleyford; adding, 'however, the
invitation shall go for a dinner, all the same.'

The denunciation was interrupted by the appearance of Spigot, who came
looming up the spacious drawing-room in the full magnificence of black
shorts, silk stockings, and buckled pumps, followed by a sheepish-looking,
straight-haired, red apple-faced young gentleman, whom he announced as Mr.
Robert Foozle. Robert was the hope of the house of Foozle; and it was
fortunate his parents were satisfied with him, for few other people were.
He was a young gentleman who shook hands with everybody, assented to
anything that anybody said, and in answering a question, wherein indeed his
conversation chiefly consisted, he always followed the words of the
interrogation as much as he could. For instance: 'Well, Robert, have you
been at Dulverton to-day?' Answer, 'No, I've not been at Dulverton to-day.'
Question, 'Are you going to Dulverton to-morrow?' Answer, 'No, I'm not
going to Dulverton to-morrow.' Having shaken hands with the party all
round, and turned to the fire to warm his red fists, Jawleyford having
stood at 'attention' for such time as he thought Mrs. Foozle would be
occupied before the glass in his study arranging her head-gear, and seeing
no symptoms of any further announcement, at last asked Foozle if his papa
and mamma were not coming.

'No, my papa and mamma are not coming,' replied he.

'Are you sure?' asked Jawleyford, in a tone of excitement.

'Quite sure,' replied Foozle, in the most matter-of-course voice.

[Illustration: MR. ROBERT FOOZLE]

'The deuce!' exclaimed Jawleyford, stamping his foot upon the soft rug,
adding, 'it never rains bu