Look to my poor wife and little ones, my faithful friend'-- these were his words--'and Heaven will reward thy faithful service.' It seemed to me, Humphrey, that when he spoke of the viper, he meant thee.

Pray Heaven I may be wrong." Fancy if I felt merry at this speech! But that I knew by the blink of his eyes the rogue was lying, I could have saved the gallows a job.

As it was, I flung him aside and went into the house.
No one but the 'prentices were stirring; so I sat in the shop and waited.

It cost me a pang to see the gourmands devour their breakfast, with never a bite for myself; yet, since Peter Stoupe was of the company, it would have cost me a greater pang to eat, had any been offered me--which it was not.

For a round hour I sat there, like a hungry bear, neither speaking nor spoken to, when at last there came the sound of a halting footstep on the stairs.
It was my sweet little mistress, and at sight of me she broke forth into crying and laughing.
"Oh, he has come! _Maman! voici notre bon Humphrey_.