This thing of being called for at the Coffee House stirred up unpleasant associations. "What appearance does the man make?" I demanded. "Merciful gad!" mine host exclaimed; "once seen, never forgotten, and once heard, never forgotten. He quotes me Thomson, and he tells me of his estate in Virginia." The answer was not of a sort to allay my suspicions. "Then he appears to be a landowner?" said I. "'Ods! Blest if I know what he is," says Mr. Claude. "He may be anything, an impostor or a high-mightiness. But he's something to strike the eye and hold it, for all his Quaker clothes. He is swarth and thickset, and some five feet eight inches--full six inches under your own height. And he comes asking for you as if you owned the town between you. 'Send a fellow to Marlboro' Street for Mr. Richard Carvel, my good host!' says he, with a snap of his fingers. And when I tell him the news of you, he is prodigiously affected, and cries--but here's my gentleman now!" I jerked my head around. Coming down the steps I beheld my old friend and benefactor, Captain John Paul! "Ahoy, ahoy!" cries he. "Now Heaven be praised, I have found you at last." Out of the saddle I leaped, and straight into his arms. "Hold, hold, Richard!" he gasped. "My ribs, man! Leave me some breath that I may tell you how glad I am to see you." "Mr. Jones!" I said, holding him out, "now where the devil got you that?" "Why, I am become a gentleman since I saw you," he answered, smiling. "My poor brother left me his estate in Virginia. And a gentleman must have three names at the least." I dropped his shoulders and shook with laughter. "But Jones!" I cried. "'Ad's heart! could you go no higher? Has your imagination left you, captain?" "Republican simplicity, sir," says he, looking a trifle hurt. But I laughed the more. "Well, you have contrived to mix oil and vinegar," said I. "A landed gentleman and republican simplicity. I'll warrant you wear silk-knit under that gray homespun, and have a cameo in your pocket." He shook his head, looking up at me with affection. "You might have guessed better," he answered. "All of quality I have about me are an enamelled repeater and a gold brooch." This made me suddenly grave, for McAndrews's words had been ringing in my ears ever since he had spoken them. I hitched my arm into the captain's and pulled him toward the Coffee House door. "Come," I said, "you have not dined, and neither have I. We shall be merry to-day, and you shall have some of the best Madeira in the colonies." I commanded a room, that we might have privacy. As he took his seat opposite me I marked that he had grown heavier and more browned. But his eye had the same unfathomable mystery in it as of yore. And first I upbraided him for not having writ me. "I took you for one who glories in correspondence, captain," said I; "and I did not think you could be so unfaithful. I directed twice to you in Mr. Orchardson's care."