Miss
Spriggs, daringly.

Mr. Price shook his head at her and pondered. "Rather more," he said, at
last, "rather more."

Mr. Potter caught his breath sharply; Mr. Spriggs, who was stooping
to get a light for his pipe, nearly fell into the fire. There was an
impressive silence.

"Money isn't everything," said Mr. Price, looking round and shaking his
head. "It's not much good, except to give away."

His eye roved round the room and came to rest finally upon Mr. Potter.
The young man noticed with a thrill that it beamed with benevolence.

"Fancy coming over without saying a word to anybody, and taking us all
by surprise like this!" said Ethel.

"I felt I must see you all once more before I died," said her uncle,
simply. "Just a flying visit I meant it to be, but your father and
mother won't hear of my going back just yet."

"Of course not," said Ethel, who was helping the silent Mrs. Spriggs to
lay supper.

"When I talked of going your father 'eld me down in my chair," continued
the veracious Mr. Price.

"Quite right, too," said the girl. "Now draw your chair up and have some
supper, and tell us all about Australia."

Mr. Price drew his chair up, but, as to talking about Australia, he said
ungratefully that he was sick of the name of the place, and preferred
instead to discuss the past and future of Mr. Potter. He learned,
among other things, that that gentleman was of a careful and thrifty
disposition, and that his savings, augmented by a lucky legacy, amounted
to a hundred and ten pounds.

"Alfred is going to stay with Palmer and Mays for another year, and then
we shall take a business of our own," said Ethel.

"Quite right," said Mr. Price. "I like to see young people make their
own way," he added meaningly. "It's good for 'em."

It was plain to all that he had taken a great fancy to Mr. Potter. He
discussed the grocery trade with the air of a rich man seeking a good
investment, and threw out dark hints about returning to England after a
final visit to Australia and settling down in the bosom of his family.
He accepted a cigar from Mr. Potter after supper, and, when the young
man left--at an unusually late hour--walked home with him.

[Illustration: An air of substance to his waistcoat 128]

It was the first of several pleasant evenings, and Mr. Price, who had
bought a book dealing with Australia from a second-hand bookstall, no
longer denied them an account of his adventures there. A gold watch and
c