There were four or five certain names,--names that is of certain political friends, and three or four almost equally certain of men who had been political enemies, but who would now clearly be asked to join the ministry.

Sir Gregory Grogram, the late Attorney-General, would of course be asked to resume his place; but Sir Timothy Beeswax, who was up to this moment Solicitor-General for the Conservatives, would also be invited to retain that which he held.

Many details were known, not only to the two dukes who were about to patch up the ministry between them, but to the political world at large,--and were facts upon which the newspapers were able to display their wonderful foresight and general omniscience with their usual confidence.

And as to the points which were in doubt,--whether or not, for instance, that consistent old Tory Sir Orlando Drought should be asked to put up with the Post-office or should be allowed to remain at the Colonies,--the younger Duke did not care to trouble himself till the elder should have come to his assistance.

But his own position and his questionable capacity for filling it,--that occupied all his mind.