“Here, wait a minute, uncle,” he continued, “till I run upstairs and get another jacket on, and then I’ll be off.  I say, uncle, isn’t this an adventure?”

“My dear boy,” said Solomon, “it is the most extraordinary—­”

“No, but do, uncle, please—­do, Miss Florence—­dinner, you know, uncle.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” cutting instantly into a leg of mutton, as if he were catering for a giant.  “I’ll take care of her, Wally!  Pretty dear!  Famished, of course.  You go and get ready.  Lord bless me!  Sir Richard Whittington, thrice Mayor of London!”

While Walter was preparing to leave, Florence, overcome by fatigue, had sunk into a doze before the fire and when the boy returned, she was sleeping peacefully.

“That’s capital!” he whispered, “Don’t wake her, uncle Sol!”

“No, no,” answered Solomon, “Pretty child!”

“Pretty, indeed!” cried Walter, “I never saw such a face!  Now I’m off.”

Arriving at Mr. Dombey’s house, and breathlessly announcing his errand to the servant, Walter was shown into the library, where he confronted Mr. Dombey.

“Oh! beg your pardon, sir,” said Walter, rushing up to him; “but I’m happy to say, it’s all right, sir.  Miss Dombey’s found!”

“I told you she would certainly be found,” said Mr. Dombey calmly, to the others in the room.  “Let the servants know that no further steps are necessary.  This boy who brings the information is young Gay from the office.  How was my daughter found, sir?  I know how she was lost.”  Here he looked majestically at Richards.  “But how was she found?  Who found her?”

It was quite out of Walter’s power to be coherent, but he rendered himself as explanatory as he could, in his breathless state, and told why he had come alone.

“You hear this, girl?” said Mr. Dombey sternly, to Susan Nipper.  “Take what is necessary and return immediately with this young man to fetch Miss Florence home.  Gay, you will be rewarded to-morrow.”

“Oh! thank you, sir,” said Walter.  “You are very kind.  I’m sure I was not thinking of any reward sir.”

“You are a boy,” said Mr. Dombey, almost fiercely; “and what you think of, or what you affect to think of, is of little consequence.  You have done well, sir.  Don’t undo it.”

Returning to his uncle’s with Miss Nipper, Walter found that Florence, much refreshed by sleep, had dined and come to be on terms of perfect confidence and ease with old Sol.  Miss Nipper caught her in her arms, and made a very hysterical meeting of it.  Then, converting the parlor into a private tiring-room, she dressed her in proper clothes, and presently led her forth to say farewell.

“Good-night,” said Florence to the elder man, “you have been very good to me.”

Uncle Sol was quite delighted, and kissed her like her grandfather.

“Good-night, Walter,” she said, “I’ll never forget you, No!  Indeed I never will.  Good-by!”