The family had not quitted the breakfast-room, for Mr. De Lancaster had engaged their attention to a dissertation upon dreams, in consequence of a prediction, which David Ap Rees had ventured to enounce from his tripod, namely, that Mr. John De Lancaster was on his road, and would speedily arrive in safety; David having gone to bed with a full dose of soporifick metheglin, and been visited in his sleep with the vision of young John and his father alighting at the castle-gate safe and sound from the backs of two griffins, that had flown with them through the air. This he had imparted to his patron after his morning serenade, and that excellent person had entertained a very good opinion of the prophecy, though he had some hesitation to admit the vehicle of the griffins: Upon this circumstance he commenced a learned dissertation upon dreams, holding at nought Mr. Locke’s notion of their being made up of the waking man’s thoughts, and substituting an opinion of his own, which took up so much time in explanation, and grew to be so entirely unintelligible by his mode of explaining it, that when the turret bell sounded out that terrible alarm, old Morgan started and cried out amain--What the devil is coming to us now? That horrid bell has waked me out of a comfortable nap, in which I was dreaming of-- Your grandson John, said De Lancaster, and behold he is here! It is in scenes like this, which now took place upon the sudden entrance of our hero, that speeches cannot be found for people, who all speak at the same time, and of course out-talk description. The tender sex have tearful eyes and trembling nerves for these occasions; the three seniors had their several modes of giving vent to their joy, and each mode different from the other.--The dream is verified, cried De Lancaster, my grandson is arrived in safety--But he did not come upon a dragon, said the Colonel--No matter, exclaimed old Morgan; here he is, and that’s enough. Edward Wilson now came into the room, and the cordial congratulations of every one present were renewed upon the sight of him. In the general exultation it so happened that nobody had yet recollected to make one enquiry about poor Philip. At length Cecilia said--What is become of my brother? Have you left him still in Lisbon? He is not in Lisbon, replied John. We should not have left you without an account of every thing as it came to pass, if a single pacquet had sailed from Lisbon, whilst we remained in it; we came in the only one, that was on that side the water, and they stopped it till the dispatches from the army were made up. Much has occurred in the short time we have been absent from you, and we have happy news for Colonel Wilson of our gallant Major; but as we have travelled hard and are journey-baited; if you will let us satisfy our hunger first, we will then endeavour to satisfy your curiosity. CHAPTER VI. _Familiar Anecdotes of the Family at Kray Castle: Comments on the Events, which occurred at Lisbon._