"Certainly," answered Mr. Bragg. But he looked slightly surprised.
"Of course, I don't mean the thing to be secret so far as I am concerned."
"Why, no; we couldn't hardly keep it secret," said Mr. Bragg gravely.
"Of course not. But if your answer should be favourable, I should like to be the first to tell—a—a person—the one or two persons who take any interest in me."
"But I shall have to say a word to your uncle; and that's pretty well the same thing as saying it to your aunt, I take it."
"Oh yes; to be sure. I didn't mean you not to mention it to them."
"All right. I certainly shall not mention it to anybody else," returned Mr. Bragg.
And when the young man was gone, he said to himself, "I wonder who else there is I could mention it to that would care two straws one way or the other. I like his way. He don't jaw like that young Bransby. And he didn't try to soap me."
The next day Owen Rivers was formally engaged as travelling secretary to Mr. Bragg for three months, beginning from October, which was now near at hand.