I seized it, saying heartily, ’Grandfather, upon my honour, I love you, and I’m glad to be home again.’

’Mind you, you’re not at home till you’ve begged Uberly’s pardon in public, you know what for,’ he rejoined.

‘Leaving the horse at that inn is on my conscience,’ said I.

The squire grumbled a bit.

‘Suppose he kicks?’ said I; and the captain laughed, and the squire too, and I was in such high spirits I thought of a dozen witty suggestions relative to the seat of the conscience, and grieved for a minute at going to the ladies.

All the better; keep him there Captain Bulsted convoyed me to pretty Irish-eyed Julia Rippenger.  Temple had previously made discovery of Janet Ilchester.  Relating our adventures on different parts of the lawn, we both heard that Colonel Goodwin and his daughter had journeyed down to Riversley to smooth the way for my return; so my easy conquest of the squire was not at all wonderful; nevertheless, I maintained my sense of triumph, and was assured in my secret heart that I had a singular masterfulness, and could, when I chose to put it forth, compel my grandfather to hold out his hand to my father as he had done to me.

Julia Rippenger was a guest at Riversley through a visit paid to her by my aunt Dorothy in alarm at my absence.  The intention was to cause the squire a distraction.  It succeeded; for the old man needed lively prattle of a less childish sort than Janet Ilchester’s at his elbow, and that young lady, though true enough in her fashion, was the ardent friend of none but flourishing heads; whereas Julia, finding my name under a cloud at Riversley, spoke of me, I was led to imagine by Captain Bulsted, as a ballad hero, a gloriful fellow, a darling whose deeds were all pardonable—­a mere puff of smoke in the splendour of his nature.

‘To hear the young lady allude to me in that style!’ he confided to my ear, with an ineffable heave of his big chest.

Certain good influences, at any rate, preserved the squire from threatening to disinherit me.  Colonel Goodwin had spoken to him very manfully and wisely as to my relations with my father.  The squire, it was assumed by my aunt, and by Captain Bulsted and Julia, had undertaken to wink at my father’s claims on my affection.  All three vehemently entreated me to make no mention of the present of Hock to him, and not to attempt to bring about an interview.  Concerning the yellow wine I disregarded their advice, for I held it to be a point of filial duty, and an obligation religiously contracted beneath a cathedral dome; so I performed the task of offering the Hock, stating that it was of ancient birth.  The squire bunched his features; he tutored his temper, and said not a word.  I fancied all was well.  Before I tried the second step, Captain Bulsted rode over to my father, who himself generously enjoined the prudent course, in accordance with his aforegone precepts.  He was floated off, as he termed it, from the inn