rrived, landed by way of my uncle's punt. And, indeed,
the man was there, as I learned: for my uncle met me on the gravelled
path of our garden, to bid me, but not with ill-temper, begone
up-stairs and into clean linen and fitting garments, which were laid
out and waiting (he said) on my bed. And when, descending in clean and
proper array, bejewelled to suit the occasion, by my uncle's command,
I came to the best room, I found there a young man in black, scarce
older, it seemed, than myself.

"This here young man, Dannie," says my uncle, with a flourish, "is
your tutor."

I bowed.

"Imported direck," adds my uncle, "from Lon'on."

My tooter? It sounded musical: I wondered what the young man blew--but
shook hands, in the Chesterfieldian manner (as best I had mastered
it), and expressed myself (in such Chesterfieldian language as I could
recall in that emergency) as being delighted to form an acquaintance
so distinguished.

"Well done!" cries my uncle, past containing his pride in the
Chesterfieldian achievement. "Sir Harry hisself couldn't beat it!"

The young man laughed pleasantly.

X

IMPORTED DIRECT

I laughed, too, unable to help it, and my uncle guffawed, in his large
way; and then we all laughed like tried friends together: so that
'twas plain, being thus at once set upon agreeable terms, with no
shyness or threat of antipathy to give ill ease, that we three strange
folk were well-met in the wide world. 'Twas cosey in the best room: a
lively blaze in the fireplace, the room bright with lamplight, warm
with the color of carpet and tapestried mahogany, spotless and grand,
as I thought, in every part; ay, cosey enough, with good company
well-met within, the risen wind clamoring through the night, the rain
lashing the black panes, the sea rumbling upon the rocks below, and,
withal, a savory smell abroad in goodly promise. My uncle, grown fat
as a gnome in these days, grotesquely fashioned, miscellaneously
clothed as ever, stood with legs wide upon the black wolf's-skin, his
back to the fire, his great hands clasped over his paunch, lying as
upon a shelf; regarding the direct importation and myself, the rise of
my admiration, the room, the whole world, indeed, visible and
invisible, with delight so boyish that 'twas good to watch the play
of satisfaction upon his fantastic countenance, which now rippled and
twinkled from his black cravat to his topmost scars and bristles.
Well-met were we three fol