60 STABLE SECRETS. 



and airy nothing, the sole companion of these musings aloud. 

 " It was as good a movement as was ever made," repeated he 

 with a smack of his lips which sounded not unlike the crack of 

 a whip, " to get on at a better figger. That lad, I saw, didn't 

 like the job of making a sham run away," continued Mr. James 

 Sloper, "and I shan't trust him with any more moves of a 

 similar kind. He's a leetle too honest, I see ; a leetle too 

 honest, I see. It's a rare quality though," said he, with a smile 

 closely linked to a sneer. " One doesn't often meet with too 

 much honesty. There'd be more fools than rogues in the world 

 if honesty was plentiful, and I'll be blest if that's the case in 

 these times ! " 



At this juncture a slight announcement was made of some- 

 body being outside the door of Mr. James Sloper' s snuggery, 

 and signifying, through the agency of a subdued tap, tap, tap, 

 evidently with knuckles, that he or she — as the case might be — 

 required permission to place himself, or herself — in accordance 

 with circumstances over which he or she had no control — 

 inside the door of Mr. James Sloper's snuggery. 



" Come in," shouted Sunshine's trainer. 



The spare and bony figure, whilom dressed in the wasp-like 

 colours, entered an appearance. 



" Oh ! it's you, Johnny, is it ? " exclaimed Mr. James Sloper. 

 " Glad you're come. Sit down, and make yourself comfortable." 



With this friendly invitation, Mr. James Sloper pushed the 

 bottle of claret across the table, and urged " Johnny " to fill 

 a glass with the utmost expedition, after occupying a part of 

 a chair opposite his host ; for such were the abridged and 

 narrow dimensions of that spare and bony figure, that to do 

 more than occupy part of a chair was simply impossible. 



" Glad you're come," reiterated Mr. James Sloper. 



" Thank'e, sir. Glad I am," responded Johnny; but as far 

 as any outward and visible sign was concerned, the happiness 

 of neither seemed greatly augmented. 



" Anything up 1 " briefly inquired Sunshine's trainer. 



