Our Gentleman Boarder 



good plain English, like other folks ? It's 

 good enough for me ; and they could if they 

 liked ; it's only their nasty deceit." 



The sound of the guard's bugle, at no 

 great distance, interrupted the discussion 

 and threw my Mother into a great fluster. 



'' There, run, Harry, and see your Father 

 — no, don't, child ; you're sure to stare too 

 much. There, I've never taken off my 

 bonnet, after all ! " and she jumped up and 

 gathered up her shawl and other belong- 

 ings preparatory to flight. 



'' Everything is ready," said Mary ; ''I 

 will receive the gentleman, if you like, and 

 Harry shall show him his room." 



And then the place became all astir, and, 

 spying through the door into the office, I 

 saw the coach drawing up. Sprightly and 

 Varney and the other ostlers ran out of the 

 yard, the guard held the ladder and re- 

 ceived the tips of the passengers with nods 

 and orrins and " Thank'ee, sir," and then 

 there was a great chatter, with kissing and 

 laughing ; for people had been gathering 

 round the office for some minutes past, 

 awaitino; the coming in of friends on the 

 coach. Seeing my Father get down from 

 the box, I left my spy-chink and ran into 

 the passage, there to encounter Sprightly 

 carrying a portmanteau upstairs. 

 117 



