"Captain George is right, though," answered the clerk. "Jernam Brothers
are growing rich; Jernam Brothers are prospering. But you haven't told
me your plans yet, captain."

"Well, since you say I had better cut this quarter, I suppose I must;
though I like to see the rigging above the housetops, and to hear the
jolly voices of the sailors, and to know that the 'Pizarro' lies hard
by in the Pool. However, there's an old aunt of mine, down in a sleepy
little village in Devonshire, who'd be glad to see me, and none the
worse for a small slice of Jernam Brothers' good luck; so I'll take a
place on the Plymouth coach to-morrow morning, and go down and have a
peep at her. You'll be able to keep a look-out on the repairs aboard of
the 'Pizarro', and I can be back in time to meet George on the fifth."

"Where are you to meet him?"

"In this room."

The factotum shook his head.

"You're both a good deal too fond of this house," he said. "The people
that have got it now are strangers to us. They've bought the business
since our last trip. I don't like the look on them."

"No more do I, if it comes to that. I was sorry to hear the old folks
had been done up. But come, Joyce, some more rum-and-water. Let's
enjoy ourselves to-night, man, if I'm to start by the first coach to-
morrow morning. What's that?"