"You are right there, my dear Mrs. Harkaway," responded the gallant Isaac; "more than tipsy—obfuscated, groggy—excuse the slangy phrase—tight—not with liquor, but yet full of spirits—figuratively speaking."
"Whatever is he talking about?" muttered Mrs. Harkaway.
"About introducing a young gentleman to you," replied Mole, who overheard every word, but who was too overjoyed with recent events to take umbrage at any thing now.
"Excuse me just now, Mr. Mole," replied the lady, "I—I am dressing."
"Humph!"
Young Jack was bursting with impatience to push him aside and rush into his mother's arms.
But Mr. Mole restrained him.
"The young gentleman I would introduce, my dear Mrs. Harkaway, brings us news of our young Jack."
"Hah!"
A cry of joy, delight, anxiety, fear, hope, all commingled, burst from the mother of our young hero.