’Not a place for any of us to poke our heads into.  I talked about “pitiless storms” to my poor Harry—­no shelter to be had unless we go down to Lymport, and stop with their brother in shop!’

Old Tom did enjoy this.  He took a great gulp of air for a tremendous burst of laughter, and when this was expended and reflection came, his features screwed, as if the acidest of flavours had ravished his palate.

’Bravo, Nan!  Didn’t think you were man enough.  Ha! ha!  Nan—­I say—­ eh? how did ye get on behind. the curtains?’

The tale, to guess by Andrew’s face, appeared to be too strongly infused with pathos for revelation.

‘Will they go, Nan, eh? d’ ye think they ‘ll go?’

’Where else can they go, Tom?  They must go there, or on the parish, you know.’

‘They’ll all troop down to the young tailor—­eh?’

‘They can’t sleep in the parks, Tom.’

’No.  They can’t get into Buckingham Palace, neither—­’cept as housemaids.  ’Gad, they’re howling like cats, I’d swear—­nuisance to the neighbourhood—­ha! ha!’

Old Tom’s cruel laughter made Andrew feel for the unhappy ladies.  He stuck his forehead, and leaned forward, saying:  ’I don’t know—­’pon my honour, I don’t know—­can’t think we’ve—­quite done right to punish ’em so.’

This acted like cold water on Old Tom’s delight.  He pitched it back in the shape of a doubt of what Andrew had told him.  Whereupon Andrew defied him to face three miserable women on the verge of hysterics; and Old Tom, beginning to chuckle again, rejoined that it would bring them to their senses, and emancipate him.

‘You may laugh, Mr. Tom,’ said Andrew; ’but if poor Harry should find me out, deuce a bit more home for me.’

Old Tom looked at him keenly, and rapped the table.  ’Swear you did it, Nan.’

‘You promise you’ll keep the secret,’ said Andrew.

‘Never make promises.’

’Then there’s a pretty life for me!  I did it for that poor dear boy.  You were only up to one of your jokes—­I see that.  Confound you, Old Tom, you’ve been making a fool of me.’

The flattering charge was not rejected by Old Tom, who now had his brother to laugh at as well.  Andrew affected to be indignant and desperate.

’If you’d had a heart, Tom, you’d have saved the poor fellow without any bother at all.  What do you think?  When I told him of our smash—­ha! ha! it isn’t such a bad joke-well, I went to him, hanging my head, and he offered to arrange our affairs—­that is—­’

‘Damned meddlesome young dog!’ cried Old Tom, quite in a rage.

‘There—­you’re up in a twinkling,’ said Andrew.  ’Don’t you see he believed it, you stupid Old Tom?  Lord! to hear him say how sorry he was, and to see how glad he looked at the chance of serving us!’

‘Serving us!’ Tom sneered.

‘Ha!’ went Andrew.  ’Yes.  There.  You’re a deuced deal prouder than fifty peers.  You’re an upside-down old despot!’