“Mr. Hucks, sir?” Mrs. Mortimer answered the challenge.  “I saw him, not twenty minutes ago, step into his private office there to the left, and by the light in the window he’s there yet.”

“But who is it?” she asked, as the stranger, swinging his lantern, marched straight up to Mr. Hucks’s door.

“Good Lord, it’s the man himself—­Glasson!  And he’s come for his orphans.”

“He shan’t have ’em, then,” said Mrs. Mortimer.

CHAPTER VII.

IN WHICH MR. HUCKS TAKES A HAND.

“A many-sided man.”—­COLERIDGE ON SHAKESPEARE.

Let Mr. Christopher Hucks introduce himself in his own customary way, that is, by presenting his card of business:—­

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-----------------
|                                                                      |
|                           CHRISTOPHER HUCKS                          |
|                                                                      |
|              ANCHOR WHARF, CANAL END BASIN, BURSFIELD                |
|         CANAL CARRIER, LIGHTERMAN, FREIGHTER AND WHARFINGER          |
|              BOAT BUILDER, COAL AND GENERAL MERCHANT                 |
|         AUCTIONEER, PRACTICAL VALUER, HOUSE AND ESTATE AGENT         |
|                                                                      |
|                            ---------------                           |
|                                                                      |
|       FIRE, LIFE, ACCIDENT AND PLATE GLASS INSURAMCES EFFECTED       |
|            FIRE AND INCOME TAX CLAIMS PREPARED AND ADJUSTED          |
|        LIVE STOCK INSURED AGAINST DEATH FROM ACCIDENT OR DISEASE     |
|                      SERVANTS REGISTRY OFFICE                        |
|                                                                      |
|                          -----------------                           |
|                                                                      |
|      AGENT FOR JOHN TAYLOR AND CO.’S PHOSPHATE AND SOLUBLE BONE      |
|                               MANURES                                |
|       COPPERAS, CHARCOAL, ETC., FOR SEWAGE AND OTHER PURPOSES        |
|               ACIDS AND ANILINES FOR THE TEXTILE TRADES              |
|                                                                      |
|                           -----------------                          |
|                                                                      |
|              VALUATIONS FOR PROBATE  EMIGRATION AGENT                |
|           PRIVATE ARRANGEMENTS NEGOTIATED WITH CREDITORS             |
|                                                                      |
|                           -----------------                          |
|                                                                      |
|      N.B.--ALL KINDS OF RIVER AND CANAL CRAFT BUILT OR REPAIRED,     |