"Ah, Titty!--Titmouse! Well, then--_Mister_ Titmouse--how are you?--Devilish long time since we met!" Titmouse directed a look at him which he wished could have blighted him, and quickened his pace without taking any further notice of the presumptuous intruder. Huckaback's blood was up, however--roused by this ungrateful and insolent treatment from one who had been under such great obligations to him; and quickening _his_ pace also, he kept alongside with Titmouse. "Ah," continued Huckaback, "why do you cut me in this way, Titty? You _aren't_ ashamed of me surely? Many's the time you've tramped up and down Oxford Street with your bundle and yard-measure"---- "Fellow!" at length exclaimed Titmouse, indignantly, "'pon my life I'll give you in charge if you go on so! Be off, you low fellow!--Dem vulgar brute!" he subjoined in a lower tone, bursting into perspiration, for he had not forgotten the insolent pertinacity of Huckaback's disposition. "My eyes! Give me in charge? Come, I like that, rather--you vagabond! Pay me what you owe me! You're a swindler! You owe me fifty pounds, you do! You sent a man to rob me!" "Will any one get a constable!" inquired Titmouse, who had grown as white as death. The little crowd that was collecting round them began to suspect, from Titmouse's agitated appearance, that there must be some foundation for the charges made against him. "Oh, go, get a constable! Nothing I should like better! Ah, my fine gentleman--what's the time of day when chaps like you are wound up so high?" Gammon's interference was in vain. Huckaback got more abusive and noisy; no constable was at hand; so, to escape the intolerable interruption and nuisance, he beckoned a coach off the stand, which was close by; and, Titmouse and he stepping into it, they were soon out of sight and hearing of Mr. Huckaback. Having taken a shilling drive, they alighted, and walked towards Covent Garden. As they approached the hotel, they observed a yellow chariot, at once elegant and somewhat old-fashioned, rolling away from the door. "I wonder who that is," said Gammon; "it's an earl's coronet on the panel; and a white-haired old gentleman was sitting low down in the corner"---- "Ah--it's no doubt a fine thing to be a lord, and all that--but I'll answer for it, some of 'em's as poor as a church mouse," replied Titmouse as they entered the hotel. At that moment the waiter, with a most profound bow, presented him with a letter and a card, which had only the moment before been left for him. The card was thus: +-------------------------------+ | | | THE EARL OF DREDDLINGTON. | | | | | | GROSVENOR SQUARE. | | | +-------------------------------+ and there was written on it, in pencil, in rather a feeble and hurried character--"For Mr. Titmouse."