"Where ever have you been to, all these long years, George?" said Aston;
"only fancy, we have never seen each other since that day we were
playing hockey at dear old Dr. Seaward's, and you were hastily called
away to London. The Doctor told us the sad news, and we all felt for you
deeply, old fellow; in fact I never recollect the place having been so
gloomy before or since."

"It was a sad time for me," said George; "and after that I lived at home
for a twelvemonth. Then I got an appointment in an office in
Falcon-court, and have held it just six months. Now, tell me where you
have sprung from, and where you have been since I last saw you?"

"I stayed only six months longer at Dr. Seaward's and was then articled
to a surveyor in the Strand, with whom I have been nearly a year, and
now I am bound for my lodgings, and you must come with me."

"You had better come with me," said George; "my mother will be so
pleased to welcome an old school-fellow of mine, and she is not
altogether a stranger to you."

"Thank you, old fellow," replied Ashton; "I shall be very glad to accept
your invitation some other night; but, after our long separation, we
want to have a quiet, confidential chat over old times together, and I
must introduce you to my crib. I am a bachelor--all alone in my glory.
The old folks still live in the country, and I boarded at first in a
family; but that that was terribly slow work, and since that time I have
hung out on my own hook. So come along, George; I really can't hear any
excuse."

George hesitated only a moment; he had never spent an evening from home