Frank Fairlegh

t are

judgement are so

ot a pipe for F

hat stop s

am

little cherub tha

al S

observed the Captain exchange glances with

y make you late;-when you get home, give Thomas a hint to keep back dinner five minutes

he could do for once"; and, with a very distant bow to the Captain, we le

hat do you thin

tself, it's a very pretty game, and when you can play well, I

is a bore, and tires one, because one does not get sufficiently intere

am going to say, will you?"

pens to be disagreeable, why it can't be helped; I would rather hear a disagreeable truth from a fr

hat you go on playing longer, and for higher stakes, than you intended to do when you began,-surely,"

in his mind; "when one comes to think seriously about it, it is a most unprofitable way of getting rid of one's money; you will sc

hat?" interru

ne from going to sleep over a newspaper in that vile reading-room-I have never taken the trouble to consider whether there was any right or wrong in the matter. I am very much obliged to you for the hint, Frank; I'l

se his interest with the cook, for the purpose of postponing dinner for a few min

muttering to himself as he went off, "wonder what that

ard his voice in the lo

xt Sunday's sermon; he's got hitched just at thirdly and lastly, and mustn't be disturbed;

n pie, for it will be burnt as blac

o out, the next day, Oaklands called me in

over all you said yesterday,-mad

se yourself, you are sure to act more rightly and sensibly than a

I came to look at my pocket-book, I found I had lost, f

ghast at the magnitude of t

t my look of horr

nted to, I found this plan certainly would not answer, and that I was getting into a mess; so I made up my mind to put an end to the thing at once,-and sat down to write to my father, telling him I had been playing billiards every day for some time past with a friend,-of course I did not mention who,-and that, without being at all aware of it, my losses had mount

hat; it was much the wise

I found I had been going on over fast,-that I owned he was too good a player for me,-and that I t

he say to that

egged I would not think of paying him yet, saying that I had been unlucky of late, but that, if I

d y

him, it could be very easily managed. I asked how? He hummed and ha'd, and at last said that Smithson would advance me the money in a minute-that I should only have to sign a receipt for it, and need not pay him for years-not till I was of age, and not then

ou told him that," interpose

ing to offend me, and its b

ollecting the scene I had wit

you mean?" s

done," replied I; "but I want

another match. I told him I was engaged to ride with you. Then he looked as i

ed Oaklands; "it certainly looks as if he would have had no objection to win as much as he could from me, for he must have known all

y and decision; I did nothing towards

is it nothing to cause him to open them, in order that he may se

ut exert yourself, so as t

d (so engrossed were we by the conversation in which we were engaged), had in despair opened the door in time to overhear my last rema

ically; "he came into our room just now, looking as black as thunder, and, as I know he hates to be

ged glances, and C

hich I replied, 'that it was quite delightful to see what great friends you had become'; whereupon he ground his teeth with rage, and told me 'to go to the devil for a prating fool'

ch either," said I. "Oaklands has just been telli

ade him. I like to rile Cumberland sometimes, because he's always so soft and silky; he seems afraid of getting into a good honest rage, lest he should let out something he

after all, Freddy," said

nd paying a month's subscription which he owed there. He added that he did not like going himself, for fear of meeting Cumberland or the Captain, as if they pressed him to play, and he refused (which he certainly should do), something disagreeable might occur, which it was quite as well to avoid. In this I quite agreed, and willingly undertook the commission. While we were talking Thomas came into th

tleman, and I'll be with h

ssible, he sends me an order for three hundred pounds upon his banker, telling me always to apply to him when I want money, or get into difficulties of any kind;

th a look of intense disgust, "it's quite dreadful to think what perverted ideas he has on the subject; he actually fancies it his business to spend his money as well as to make it; and as for sons, the less they have the better, lest they should get into extrava

Lawless. "I should say some sons might be safely trusted with three-hundred-pound cheques; while others

r tables. After the chase had lasted for several minutes Coleman, when on the point of being captured, contrived, by a master-stroke of policy, to substitute Mullins in his place, and the affair ended by

ffice, and will put a letter

land; "I've got one of

ed Oaklands; "but I need not caution you, you are not one of

wever fond they may be of doing absurd things for the sake of being laughed at, do not approve of their buffooneries being taken for granted-"I'll tell you what it is, sir-you have formed a most mistaken estimate of my character; I beg to say that any affair I undertake is certain to be conducted in a very sedate an

his escape scot-free, made a feint of turning away as if to avoid the contest, and then, with a sudden spring, leaped upon Oaklands, and succeeded in just touching his nose. The latter was, howev

se, which was a large square-topped, old-fashioned affair, standing about eight feet high, and the upper part forming a sort of glass-fronted closet, in which the books were arranged on shelves. "Great men like you, who go ahead of archbishops and so on, should be seated in

eman; "come help me down again,

rouble enough in putting you up, I think; I'm a g

y get a ladder, or a fire-escape-don't call me proud, gentlemen, if I lo

': he looks quite the cherub

of you, Coleman," cr

"for in that case I should be

er for that vile pun," said Cumberland. "Is yo

fetch it," replied Oak

Coleman, and, suiting the action to the word, he crossed his legs under him like a

less tried to carry it off by assuming an easy unembarrassed air, as if nothing particular was going on; I felt strongly disposed to laugh; while Mullins looked much more inclined to cry; but the expression of Coleman's face, affording a r

came to look for my eye-glass, wh

rd and picking it up; "how lucky none of

is eyes from the ground. Coleman, who up to this moment had considered a discovery inevitable, gave me a sign to open the door, and, believing the danger over, was proceeding t

ething alive up there! why it's-eh?" continued he, levelling his newly restored eye-glass at the object of his alarm; "yes, it certainly is Coleman; pray, sir

etely taken aback, "you see I didn't-that i

animal he had to deal with, was evidently amused by Coleman's embarrassment, "that sentence of yours is not particularly clear

, I was-that is,

time that he could not explai

er to get down agai

er tone, "The old gentleman, by Jove!" Quickly recovering himself, however, he sprang upon a chair, and, seizing Coleman in his arms, whisked him down with more haste than ceremony; an

y there is no harm done;" adding as he left the room, "that young man is as strong as Hercules. I hop