"Yes, sir--at least in a permiscuous sort of way entertainin' myself as I goes with agreeable talk, and improvin' obsarvation of the shop winders, etceterrer." "Will you take a message to your mother?" "Sure-ly," answered Willie. "Well, say to her that I have several calls to make to-night and may be late in getting home, but she need not sit up for me as I have the door-key; tell her not to forget to leave the door on the latch." "Wery good, sir," said Willie. "May I make so bold as to ask how Miss Loo was when you seed her last?" "Not well, I regret to say," replied Fred. "Indeed! I'm surprised to hear that, for she's agoin' out to tea to-morrow night, sir." "My surprise is greater than yours, lad; how d'you know that, and where is she going to?" asked Auberly. Here Willie explained in a very elaborate manner that a note had arrived that forenoon from Miss Tippet, inviting Mr Tippet to tea the following evening, and expressing a hope that he would bring with him his clerk, "_Mister_" Willders, the brother of the brave fireman who had saved Loo's life, and that Miss Louisa Auberly was to be there, and that Mr Tippet had written a note accepting the same. "Then you'll have to take another message from me, Willie. Tell Miss Tippet when you go to-morrow that I will give myself the pleasure of looking in on her in the course of the evening," said Fred. "Mr Auberly is not to be there, is he?" "No, not as I knows of." "Well, good-night, Willie." Willie took his departure, marching to the usual national air, and soon after Fred Auberly bade his friend good-night and left him. CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. A SMALL TEA-PARTY. Miss Tippet's tea-party began by the arrival of Willie Willders, who, being fond of society, and regardless of fashion, understood his hostess literally when she named her tea-hour! For full half an hour, therefore, he had the field to himself, and improved the occasion by entertaining Miss Tippet and Emma Ward with an account of the wonderful inventions that emanated from the fertile brain of Mr Thomas Tippet. Strange to say, a deep and lasting friendship had sprung up between the eccentric old gentleman and his volatile assistant. Willie sympathised so fully with his master in his wild schemes, and displayed withal such an aptitude for mechanical contrivance, and such a ready appreciation of complex theories, that Mr Tippet soon came to forget his extreme youth, and to converse with him, propound schemes and new ideas to him, and even to ask his advice; with as much seriousness as though he had been a full-grown man.