ould interfere
with my toilette; but, poor fellow, he's very queer, you know, and I
_humour_ him."

This at once explains why Master Ratty called the tinker "the
milliner."

It will not be wondered at that the family carefully excluded the old
lady from the knowledge of any exciting subject; but those who know
what a talkative race children and servants are, will not be surprised
that the dowager sometimes got scent of proceedings which were meant to
be kept secret. The pending election, and the approaching visit of the
candidate, somehow or other, came to her knowledge, and of course she
put on her tin chimney-pot. Thus attired, she sat watching the avenue
all day; and when she saw O'Grady return in a handsome travelling
carriage with a stranger, she was quite happy, and began to attire
herself in some ancient finery, rather the worse for wear, and which
might have been interesting to an antiquary.

The house soon rang with bustle--bells rang, and footsteps rapidly
paced passages, and pattered up and down stairs. Andy was the nimblest
at the hall-door at the first summons of the bell; and, in a livery too
short in the arms and too wide in the shoulders, he bustled here and
there, his anxiety to be useful only putting him in everybody's way,
and ending in getting him a hearty cursing from O'Grady.

The carriage was unpacked, and letter-boxes, parcels, and portmanteaus
strewed the hall. Andy was desired to carry the latter to "the
gentleman's room," and, throwing the portmanteau over his shoulder, he
ran upstairs. It was just after the commotion created by the arrival of
the _Honourable_ Mr. Scatterbrain that Furlong returned to the
house, wet and weary.

He retired to his room to change his clothes, and fancied he was now
safe from further molestation, with an inward protestation that the
next time the Master O'Gradys caught him in their company, they might
bless themselves; when he heard a loud sound of hustling near his door,
and Miss Augusta's voice audibly exclaiming, "Behave yourself,
Ratty!--Gusty, let me go!"--when, as the words were uttered, the door
of his room was shoved open, and Miss Augusta thrust in, and the door
locked outside.

Furlong had not half his clothes on. Augusta exclaimed, "Gracious
me!"--first put up her hands to her eyes, and then turned her face to
the door.

Furlong hid himself in the bed-curtains, while Ratty, the vicious
little rascal, with a malicious laugh, said, "Now, promise