"My master could keep anything he liked," said the boy proudly; and Dick took a two-shilling piece out of his trousers pocket and placed it handy in his vest. "He's going to have a yatched." "A what?" "A little ship of his own, to go sailing about in." "Then he must be very rich?" "Rich?" said the boy. "I should think he is." "And what did you say his business was, my lad?" "Master's business is master's business, and nobody else's," said the boy sharply. "Here he is, sir." For just then Dick's cough was heard, and his step in the conservatory. And then, in the whitest of vests and the glossiest of frock-coats, he came into the room as the boy backed out. "My dear Richard!" cried Max, with effusion--and the tears stood in his eyes as he stretched out his hands--"I am delighted to see you again." "Are you?" said Dick coolly, and without taking any notice of the suggested embrace. "So glad, I cannot tell you," cried Max, taking out and unfolding a cambric handkerchief, which he held to one eye, looked at it afterwards to see if there was a moist spot for result, and, as there was not, tried the other eye with rather better success. "You'll shake hands?" "Oh yes," said Dick. "How are you, Max?" "Quite well, my dear brother: but why haven't you been to see me all these long months?" "Long months, eh? I never found 'em long. I began to think I was being took advantage of now that I was well off, and getting short measure." "Then you are very well off?" "Tol-lol, tol-lol; nothing much to grumble about. But sit down." He placed an easy chair for his brother, seating himself afterwards on the edge of the table and watching his visitor sharply. "I'm very glad of it, Richard," cried Max, after a glance round. "You know, I always thought that a man with your brains was throwing himself away on trade, and wasting his energies." "Oh! you did, did you?" "Always, my dear brother; and that's why I used to speak so sharply to you--to rouse you--to awaken you." "Well, you did that, and no mistake!" said Dick, laughing. "And look at the result. You set-to and hit up some bright idea; and now, before two years have elapsed, I come and find you a millionaire." "Well, not quite that, Max: a million's a stiff sum, Max--a very stiff sum." "Hah! it's refreshing to come and hear you call me again by that familiar name, Richard: it reminds me of when we were boys." And Max again raised his handkerchief to his eyes. "Well, old fellow, I wouldn't cry about it if I was you. It's all right now. You always was pretty well down upon me when I was a poor man; but as you've come and showed, as I said to Polly, that blood's thicker than water, why, we'll forget all about the past." "We will," cried Max, taking his brother's hand and beginning to pump it up and down, clinging to it the while as if he were afraid of being parted, and ending by trying to embrace him.