“Oh, it was only a smile,” said Charlie, with again a grotesque imitation. “‘Are they your own?’--meaning I was just a boy to be laughed at, you know--I should think so! As if I could not make an end of half-a-dozen like him.” “Don’t brag, Charlie,” said Marian, “and don’t be angry about the gentleman, you silly boy; he always must have something on his mind different from a lad like you.” Charlie laughed with grim satisfaction. “He hasn’t a great deal on his mind, that chap,” said the big boy; “but I wouldn’t be him, set up there for no end but reading rubbish--not for--five hundred a-year.” Now, we beg to explain that five hundred a-year was a perfectly magnificent income to the imagination of Bellevue. Charlie could not think at the moment of any greater inducement. “Reading rubbish! And he has Agnes’s book to read!” cried Marian. That was indeed an overpowering anti-climax. “Yes, but how did he look? Do you think he was pleased? And will it be sure to come to Mr Burlington safe?” said Agnes. Agnes could not help having a secret impression that there might be some plot against this book of hers, and that everybody knew how important it was. “Why, he looked--as other people look who have nothing to say,” said Charlie; “and I had nothing to say--so we got on together. And he said it looked original--much he could tell from the first page! And so, of course, I came away--they’re to write when they’ve read it over. I tell you, that’s all. I don’t believe it was Mr Burlington; but it was the man that does that sort of thing, and so it was all the same.” This was the substance of Charlie’s report. He could not be prevailed upon to describe how this important critic looked, or if he was pleased, or anything about him. He was a washy man, Charlie said; but the obstinate boy would not even explain what washy meant, so they had to leave the question in the hands of time to bring elucidation to it. They were by no means patient; many and oft-repeated were the attacks upon Charlie--many the wonderings over the omnipotent personage who had the power of this decision in his keeping; but in the mean time, and for sundry days and weeks following, these hasty girls had to wait, and to be content. CHAPTER IX. A DECISION.