If I was

proaches of the expected port. personally indifferent to the matter, I fear it is to be attributed to your mother, and not to myself."

"Nonsense!" interposed my mother once more. "I never knew such a

man for making little of himself and much of other people. You never drank a glass too much port in your life."

"That's why I'm so fond of it, my dear," returned my father. "I declare you make me quite discontented with my pig-wash here. "That night I had a dream.

"The next day the visitors began to arrive. Before the evening after, they had all come. There were five of them-three tars and two land-crabs, as they called each other when they got jolly, which, by-the-way, they would not have done long without me.

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My uncle's anxiety visibly increased. Each guest, as he came down to breakfast, received each morning a more constrained

greeting. I beg your pardon, ladies; I forgot to mention that my aunt had ladyvisitors, of course. But the fact is, it is only the port-drinking visitors in whom my story is interested, always excepted your mother.

"These ladies my admiral uncle greeted with something even approaching to servility. I understood him well enough. He instinctively sought to make a party to protect him when the awful secret of his cellar should be found out. But for two preliminary days or so, his resources would serve; for he had plenty of excellent claret and Madeira―stuff I don't know much about-and both Jacob and himself condescended to manœuvre little.

"The wine did not arrive. But the morning of Christmas Eve did. I was sitting in my room, trying to write a song for Katethat's your mother, my dears

"I know, papa," said Effie, as if she were very knowing to know that.

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when my uncle came into the room, looking like Sintram with Death and the Other One after him--that's the nonsense you read to me the other day, isn't it, Effie?"

"Not nonsense, dear papa," remonstrated Effie; and I loved her for saying it, for surely that is not nonsense.

"I didn't mean it," said my father; and turning to my mother, added: "It must be your fault, my dear, that my children are so serious that they always take a joke for earnest. However, it was no joke with my uncle. If he didn't look like Sintram he looked like t'other one.

"The roads are frozen-I mean snowed

up,' he said. 'There's just one bottle of port left, and what Captain Calker will say-I dare say I know, but I'd rather not. Damn this weather!—God forgive me!—that's not right—but it is trying—ain't it, my boy?'

"What will you give me for a dozen of port, uncle?' was all my answer.

"Give you? I'll give you Culverwood, you rogue.'

"Done,' I cried.

“That is,' stammered my uncle, ‘that is,' and he reddened like the funnel of one of his

hated steamers, that is, you know, always provided, you know. It wouldn't be fair to Lady Georgiana, now, would it? I put it to yourself-if she took the trouble, you know. You understand me, my boy?'

"That's of course, uncle,' I said.

"Ah! I see you're a gentleman like your father, not to trip a man when he stumbles,' said my uncle. For such was the dear old man's sense of honour, that he was actually uncomfortable about the hasty promise he had made without first specifying the exception. The exception, you know, has Culverwood at the present hour, and right welcome he is.

"Of course, uncle,' I said-between Still, I want my

gentlemen, you know.

joke out, too. What will you give me for a dozen of port to tide you over Christmas Day?'

"Give you, my boy? I'll give you

"But here he checked himself, as one that had been burned already.

"Bah!' he said, turning his back, and going towards the door; 'what's the use of joking about serious affairs like this?'

"And so he left the room. And I let him go. For I had heard that the road from Liverpool was impassable, the wind and snow having continued every day since that night of which I told you. Meantime, I had never been able to summon the courage to say one word to your mother-I beg her pardon, I mean Miss Thornbury.

"Christmas Day arrived. My uncle was awful to behold. His friends were evidently anxious about him. They thought he was ill. There was such a hesitation about him, like a shark with a bait, and such a flurry,