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"Oh--hif you please, sir!"

Barnabas started, raised his head, and, glancing over his shoulder,

beheld Milo of Crotona He was standing in thevery cherubic, very natty, and very upright of back; and he

stared at Barnabas with his innocent blue eyes very wide, and with

every one of the eight winking, twinkling, glittering buttons on his

small jacket--indeed, it seemed to Barnabas that to-day his buttons

were ratherthan usual, if that could well be

Therefore Barnabas dropped his table-napkin, very adroitly, upon a

certain object that yet lay upon the table before him, ere he turned

about and addressed hier"

"What,from,

pray? I didn't see you come in"

"No, sir--'cause you jest 'appened to be lookin' at that there

little boot, you did" Thus Master Milo, and his eyes were guileless

as an angel's, but--his buttons--!

"Huet in, Imp?"

"Froo de winder, sir, I did An' I 've come to tell you 'is

Ludship's co wiv 'er, 'e is"

"With--whom?"

"Wiv my lady--'er"

"What lady?"

"Wiv 'is Ludship's lady, 'is Vi-coun-tess,--'er"