d Titmouse. "Ah! Mr.
Titmouse, you'll soon have wine enough to float a frigate--and indeed
what not--with ten thousand a-year?"

"And all the back-rents, you know--ha, ha!"

"Yes--to be sure!--the back-rents! The sweetest estate that is to be
found in all Yorkshire! Gracious, Mr. Titmouse!" continued Gammon, with
an excited air--"What may you not do? Go where you like--do what you
like--get into Parliament--marry some lovely woman of high rank!"

"Lord, Mr. Gammon!--you a'n't dreaming? Nor I? But now, in course, _you_
must be paid handsome for your trouble!--Only say how much--Name your
sum! What you please! You only get me all you've said--and I'll"----

"For my part, I wish to rely entirely on your mere word of honor.
Between gentlemen, you know--my dear sir"----

"You only try me, sir."

"But you see, Mr. Quirk's getting old, and naturally is anxious to
provide for those whom he will leave behind him--and so Mr. Snap agreed
with him--two to one against me, Mr. Titmouse--of course they carried
the day--two to one."

"Never mind that!--only say the figure, sir!" cried Titmouse, eagerly.

"A single year's income, only--ten thousand pounds will hardly"----

"Ten thousand pounds! By jingo, but that _is_ a slice out of the cake!
Oh, Lord!" quoth Titmouse, looking aghast.

"A mere crumb, my dear sir!--a trifle! Why, _we_ are going to give _you_
that sum at least every year--and indeed it was suggested to our firm,
that unless you gave us at least a sum of twenty-five thousand
pounds--in fact, we were recommended to look out for some other heir."

"Oh dear! oh Mr. Gammon," cried Titmouse, hastily--"it's not to be
thought of, sir."

"So I said; and as for throwing it up--to be sure we shall have
ourselves to borrow large sums to carry on the war--and unless we have
your bond for at least ten thousand pounds, we cannot raise a farthing."

"Well--curse me, if you sha'n't do what you like!--Give me your hand,
and do what you like, Mr. Gammon!"

"Thank you, Mr. Titmouse! How I like a glass of wine with a friend in
this quiet way!--you'll always find me rejoiced to show"----

"Your hand! By George--Didn't I take a liking to you from the first? But
to speak my mind a bit--as for Mr. Quirk--excuse me--but he's a
cur--cur--cur--mudg--mudg--mudg--eon--hem!"

"Hope you've not been so imprudent, my dear Titmouse," threw in Mr.
Gammon, rather anxiously, "as to borrow money--eh?"

"Devil knows, and devil cares! No stam