Mr.Tankard thought it not improbable that they might soon be wanted at Hong Kong, or some very distant place,--but in the meantime they were bound to be back at Washington very shortly.

Tankard had himself been at Washington, and also before that at Lisbon, and could tell Mrs.Hopkins how utterly unimportant had been the actual ministers at those places, and how the welfare of England had depended altogether on the discretion and general omniscience of his young master,--and of himself.

He, Tankard, had been the only person in Washington who had really known in what order Americans should go out to dinner one after another.

Mr.Elias Gotobed, who was coming, was perhaps the most distinguished American of the day, and was Senator for Mickewa.
"Mickey war!" said poor Mrs.Hopkins,--"that's been one of them terrible American wars we used to hear of." Then Tankard explained to her that Mickewa was one of the Western States and Mr.Elias Gotobed was a great Republican, who had very advanced opinions of his own respecting government, liberty, and public institutions in general.
With Mr.Morton and the Senator was coming the Honourable Mrs.
Morton.

The lady had her lady's maid,--and Mr.Morton had his own man; so that there would be a great influx of persons.
Of course there was very much perturbation of spirit.