slightly open, and the inoffensive face of Mr. Joseph Jenkins appeared
in the aperture.

"I say, Mr. Ketch," began he in a mild tone of deprecation, "whatever
is it that you have gone and done?"

"What d'ye mean?" growled old Ketch. "Is this a way to come and set
upon a gentleman in his own house? Who taught you manners, Joe
Jenkins?"

"You have been repeating what I mentioned last night about Lady
Augusta's son getting the seniorship," said Jenkins, coming in and
closing the door.

"You did say it," retorted Mr. Ketch.

"I know I did. But I did not suppose you were going to repeat it
again."

"If it was a secret, why didn't you say so?" asked Mr. Ketch.

"It was not exactly a secret, or Lady Augusta would not have mentioned
it before me," remonstrated Joe. "But it is not the proper thing, for
me to come out of Mr. Galloway's office, and talk of anything I may
have heard said in it by his friends, and then for it to get round to
his ears again! Put it to yourself, Mr. Ketch, and say whether you
would like it."

"What _did_ you talk of it for, then?" snarled Ketch, preparing to take
a copious draught of ale.