"But, my pet, we've come on purpose to find you, and now you're going away." "Only for a time, dear," cried Maude, embracing the old man frantically. "Don't, don't tell Tom." "But I feel as if I must, my darling. Tom is so angry, and we've spent such a lot of money trying to find you. It would have paid for no end of good dinners at the club." "Yes, yes, but we will escape directly, and Tom will never know." "But what's the good of my finding you, my darling, if you are going to bolt again directly?" "Only to wait till Tom has cooled down, dear." "Well, well, I suppose I must promise." "My own darling papa," cried Maude, kissing him. "I'll write to you soon, dear; and as soon as Tom is quiet and has forgiven us, we shall all be as happy as the day is long." She kissed him again quickly on either cheek, and then, before he could even make up his mind to stay her, she had hurried into the hotel, leaving her father scratching his head and setting his dark wig all awry. CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT. THE REINFORCEMENT. "This--this is a pretty devil of a state of affairs," muttered the old man. "How can a man in my position make friends with a confounded fellow who goes about turning a handle in the street? The girl's mad-- mad as can be, and--Ah, Tom, my boy." "Hallo, governor," said that personage, sharply. "What's the matter?" "Doosed tired, my boy." "Why, you look as if you'd seen the chap who drew what's-his-name's curtains in the dead of night." "Do I--do I, my boy?" stammered the old man; and then to himself, "I feel sure he'll find me out." "Get up, and you shall have a feed, and a glass of good honest wine. That's the thing to brace you up, dad." "Yes--yes, my son. I--I feel--feel as if I'd give anything for a glass of good wine." "Come along." "I know he'll find me out," said his lordship to himself. "I say, gov'nor," cried Tom, "here's a go." "Have--have you found them," said the old man, starting. "Wait a bit. Perhaps I have. But I say, I've found telegrams waiting to say that the old lady is on the way to meet us here." "Here, Tom, my boy?" "Yes, gov'nor, here, in Naples." "But--but don't you think we had better go on at once?" "What with you so tired?" said Tom with a twinkle in his eyes. "I--I don't think I'm quite so tired as I was, Tom, my boy," said the old man nervously. "After a glass of wine or two, I--I think I could manage to go on again." "But don't you understand? The _mater_ is coming here with Tryphie and Justine." "Then--then I think we had better get on, Tom, my boy--away from here. Her ladyship would hinder us, and stop us from finding Maude. Let's go on to Rome or Constantinople, only let's be _off_ at once." Tom laughed silently.