presence with an air of haughtiness ridiculously like the old man's, which caused Colonel Baskerville to laugh heartily at the scene. But Archy made no more suggestions as to the disposition of the Bellingham estates.

At the end of December the assizes were held at York, and Lord Bellingham, as Lord-lieutenant of the North Riding, was to attend them in state.

"And I should be glad, my dear Archibald, to have your company in the coach," said the old gentleman, in a tone of dulcet softness, having forgiven Archy his maladroit speech.

Archy, who would walk ten miles any day to see a fine show, readily agreed. Nothing was said about clothes; but when Archy carefully examined his blue uniform that night, he found that it was indeed on its last legs. His elbows were out, his knees were but little better, and, worse than all, he was shooting up so tall and[Pg 69] filling out so fast that he had completely outgrown both jacket and trousers. There was no help for it; Archy laid his beloved shabby uniform away carefully, and next morning appeared at breakfast in the handsome brown riding-suit.

[Pg 69]

Colonel Baskerville noted it with an approving nod.

"I fully reckoned on your getting a broken head, sooner or later, for wearing your American uniform. It was foolhardy; but I perceive, nephew, you are inclined to be foolhardy."

"The French, sir, called Captain Jones foolhardy when he sailed into the narrow seas with the Ranger sloop, and they had fifty-five sail of the line holding on to their anchors at L'Orient; but he came back all safe, and brought the Drake with him. And they said he was worse than foolhardy when he went out in the poor old Bon Homme Richard; but he came back again, and that time he brought the Serapis—huzza!" Here Archy got up and cut a pigeon-wing, nearly upsetting Diggory with a tray full of cups and saucers.

"Let me tell you one thing, young man," remarked Colonel Baskerville, coolly; "you have a very clever trick of always having the last word, but don't imagine for a moment that it[Pg 70] proves you are always right. Clever tricks count for but little in the long-run."

[Pg 70]

Archy went into a brown-study at this remark, and at the end of ten minutes came out of it to say:

"Uncle, I believe you know a great deal, one 

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