"Why, Lord love ye, ma'am, I've been called that myself before now!" So to Mr.Trapp I was bound, early next week, before the magistrates sitting in petty sessional division, to serve him and to receive from him proper sustenance and clothing until the age of twenty-one.
And I (as nearly as could be guessed, for I had no birthday) had barely turned ten.

Mr.Scougall arrived in time to pilot me through these formalities and hand me over to Mr.Trapp: but at a parting interview, throughout which we both wept copiously, Miss Plinlimmon gave me for souvenir a small Testament with this inscription on the fly-leaf: H.REVEL, _from his affectionate friend, A.

Plinlimmon_.
_O happy, happy days, when childhood's cares Were soon forgotten! But now, when dear ones all around are still the same, Where shall we be in ten years' time ?_ "They were my own composition," she explained.

Mr.George bade me a gloomier farewell.

"You might come to some good," he said contemplatively; "and then again you mightn't.