"Thank ye, Frank--thank ye for these pretty little sentiments--very good remarks, certainly, and true; but I think you'd better keep them to bestow upon the future Mrs Trevelyan; I dare say you may find them useful then. And now, have you any further news to tell me this morning?" "Yes, I believe I have. I was just going to tell you about the fair ladies we met on the downs yesterday; but I've a great mind not to do so." "Eh? what? where?" interrupted Vernon. "Oh! do tell me--have you seen them?" "No," answered Frank demurely, "I haven't seen even the shadow of their petticoats." "Is this Squire Potts', then? eh!" "Not impossible," rejoined Frank with most provoking coolness; "at least," he continued, "I know nothing to the contrary, for never having heard our worthy squire's cognomen, I see no reason why he may not be called Potts as well as any thing else." "Pshaw," said Vernon impatiently, "and is that all you have to tell me? I really fancied you had heard or seen something." "And so I have," rejoined Frank. "Whom, then? eh! Do tell me!" demanded Vernon, eagerly. "Timothy," replied Frank. "Timothy!" reiterated the poet. "Ay, Timothy, to be sure; what d'ye think of that, Mr Vernon Wycherley?" "Why, it leads me to hope," replied that gentleman, "that we may meet the ladies themselves ere long, or"-- No _or_ in the matter," interrupted Frank; "I've made up my mind to meet them both at breakfast this very morning; and no mistake, as our gallant little friend the major says--for I'm pretty certain those lovely birds of paradise roosted last night somewhere or other about the premises." "But as you say you've seen Timothy, haven't you been able to get any thing out of him?" "No," replied Frank; "for as all his business seems to be confined to out-of-doors work, he only came once or twice into the room where we were upon some trifling excuse or other; but, in reality, I've no doubt to have a peep at your humble servant, whom the rogue instantly recognised; and when no one was looking, he tipped me a sly wink of the eye, at the same time pointing with his thumb over his shoulder, and directing his eyes towards the ceiling, thereby indicating, as I thought, that those I wished the most to see had already betaken themselves to bed." "Then I trust they were not packed off on purpose that you might not see them?" observed the young poet. "Quite the reverse, Vernon, I assure you, for I'm quite confident they were so packed off in order that they mightn't see me." "You surprise me indeed--can it be possible that one so affable and open-hearted as our squire here appears to be, should hesitate to let his daughters see so harmless a specimen of the human race as my particular friend Mr Francis Trevelyan? But ah! I see how it is," Vernon continued, and his countenance fell as he said so. "I see how it is--he doubts our being gentlemen; a circumstance quite sufficient to account for the absence of the young ladies."