And now the prospect of meeting these awful dignitaries face to face in his own house put him in a small panic.

But on the other hand, he knew there would be jellies, and savoury pie, and strawberries, and tipsy-cake, at home that night.

He had seen them arrive from the confectioner's that morning, and, Limpet as he was, Brown smiled inwardly as he meditated thereon.

This was a second ground for excitement.

And a third, equal to either of the other two, was that Parson and Telson were invited and were coming! He had tried one or two other fellows first.