en he saw them all bending over and scrutinizing this mysterious
object, it puzzled him (and many a better head than his has a pedigree
puzzled before) sorely, and he began to suspect it was a sort of
conjuring paper!--

"I hope, gents, that paper's all right--eh?" said he, supported by the
brandy, which he had nearly finished. They turned towards him with a
smile of momentary surprise, and then--

"We hope so--a vast deal depends on it," said Mr. Quirk, looking over
his glasses at Titmouse. Now what _he_ had hinted at, as far as he could
venture to do so, was a thought that glanced across his as yet unsettled
brain, that there might have been invoked more than _mere earthly
assistance_; but he prudently pressed the matter no farther--that was
all Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap's look-out; _he_ had been no party
to anything of the sort, nor would he knowingly. He also observed the
same sheets of paper written all over, which Mr. Gammon had filled up at
his (Titmouse's) room, the night before; and several new, and
old-looking, papers and parchments. Sometimes they addressed questions
to him, but found it somewhat difficult to keep his attention up to
anything that was said to him for the wild visions which were chasing
one another through his heated brain; the passage of which said visions
was not a little accelerated by the large tumbler of brandy and water
which he had just taken.

"Then, in point of fact," said Mr. Quirk, as Messrs. Gammon and Snap
simultaneously sat down, after having been for some time standing poring
over the paper before Mr. Quirk. "This Tittlebat Titmouse's title must
have accrued in 18--. That's the point--eh, Gammon?"

"Precisely so," said Mr. Gammon, calmly.

"To be sure," confidently added Snap; who having devoted himself
exclusively all his life to the sharpest practice of the criminal law,
knew about as much of real property law as a snipe--but it would not
have done to appear ignorant, or taking no part in the matter, in the
presence of the heir-at-law, and the future great client of the House.

"Well, Mr. Titmouse," at length said Mr. Quirk, with a sort of grunt,
laying aside his glasses--"if _you_ turn out to be the Titmouse we have
been speaking of, you are likely, through our immense exertions, to
become one of the luckiest men that ever lived! We may be mistaken, but
it appears to us that we shall by and by be able to put you into
possession of a very fine estate in Yorkshire,