Heathcotes had so far recovered from the
shock of the morning's disaster and its consequences as to be able to
meet and talk over the events, and the actors in them.

"Well," said Sir William, as they all sat round the tea-table, "what do
you say to my Yankee now? Of all that company, was there one that showed
the same readiness in a difficulty, a quick-witted aptitude to do the
right thing, and at the same time so unobtrusively and quietly that when
everything was over it was hard to say who had done it?"

"I call him charming. I'm in ecstasies with him," said May, whose
exaggerations of praise or censure were usually unbounded.

"I 'm quite ready to own he 'came out' strong in the confusion," said
Charles, half unwillingly; "but it was just the sort of incident that
such a man was sure to figure well in."

"Show me the man who is active and ready-minded in his benevolence, and
I 'll show you one who has not to go far into his heart to search for
generous motives. I maintain it, Quackinboss is a fine fellow!" There
was almost a touch of anger in Sir William's voice as he said these
words, as though he would regard any disparagement of the American as an
offence to himself.

"I think Charley is a little jealous," said May, with a sly malice;
"he evidently wanted to carry the wounded lady himself, when that great
giant interposed, and, seizing the prize, walked away as though he were
only carrying a baby."

"I fancied it was the tutor was disappointed," said Charles; "and the
way he devoted his cares to the little girl, when deprived of the mamma,
convinced me he was the party chiefly interested."

"Which was the tutor?" asked May, hastily. "You don't mean the man with
all the velvet on his coat?"

"No, no; that was Mr. O'Shea, the Irish M.P., who, by the way, paid
_you_ the most persevering attention."

"A hateful creature, insufferably pretentious and impertinent! The tutor
was, then, the pale young man in black?"

"A nice, modest fellow," broke in Sir William; "and a fine boy that
young Marquis of Agincourt. I 'm glad you asked him up here, Charles. He
is to come on Tuesday, is he not?"

"Yes, I said Tuesday, because I can't get my tackle to rights
before that; and I promised to make him a fly-fisher. I owe him the
reparation."

"You included the tutor, of course, in your invitation?" asked his
father.

"No. How stupid! I forgot him altogether."

"Oh! that was too bad," said May.

"Indeed," cried