“About what, brother John?” replied Nicholas, who had been “in the clouds.”

“Oh, I’ll tell you all about it, father,” said Newton, laughing.  “Come away now—­my uncle is busy.”  And Nicholas rose up, with the observation—­

“Brother John, you appear to me to read a great deal.”

“Yes, I do, brother.”

“How much do you read a day?”

“I really cannot say; much depends upon whether I am interrupted or not.”

“It must be very bad for your eyes, brother John.”

“It certainly does not improve them,” replied the lawyer, impatiently.

“Come, father, my uncle is very busy,” said Newton, touching Nicholas on the arm.

“Well, good-bye, brother John.  I had something to say—­oh!  I hope you are not displeased at my not coming to see you before?”

“Humph! not in the least, I can assure you, brother Nicholas; so good-bye.  Newton, you’ll bring him with you at six,” said Mr John Forster; and he resumed his brief before they had quitted the room.

Newton was much surprised to hear that his uncle had taken a house, and he surmised whether he had not also been induced to take a wife.  He felt an inclination to put the question to Mr Scratton, as he passed through the office; but checked the wish, lest it should appear like prying into his uncle’s affairs.  Being the month of February, it was dark long before six o’clock, and Newton was puzzled what to do with his father until that time.  He returned to the Salopian Coffee-house, opposite to which they had been put down by the Greenwich coach; and taking possession of a box, called for some biscuits and a pint of sherry; and requesting his father to stay there until his return, went out to purchase a sextant, and some other nautical luxuries, which his pay enabled him to procure without trespassing upon the funds supplied by the generosity of his uncle.  He then returned to his father, who had finished the wine and biscuits, and had his eyes fixed upon the ceiling of the room; and calling a hackney coach, drove to the direction which his uncle had pointed out as his residence.

Mr John Forster had already come home, and they found him in the dining-room, decanting the wine for dinner, with Amber by his side.  Newton was surprised at the appearance of a little girl; and, as he took her proffered hand, inquired her name.

“Amber.  Papa says it’s a very foolish name; don’t you, papa?”

“Yes, my dear, I do; but now we are going to dinner, and you must go to Mrs Smith:  so good-night.”

Amber kissed the old lawyer, as he stooped to her; and wishing the company good-night, she left the room.

“Brother John,” said Nicholas, “I really had no idea that you were a married man.”

“Humph!  I am not a married man, brother.”

“Then pray, brother, how is it possible for that little girl to be your daughter?”

“I did not say she was my daughter:  but now we will go upstairs into the drawing-room, while they put the dinner on the table.”