'At their favourite amusement on a rainy day.'
'What is that?'
'Playing at being Cheap Jacks. Mark, it is in their blood.'
'Who is doing the selling today?'
'Our eldest—James,' answers Zita; 'and, Mark, when James marries, we'll have out that there epergne for the wedding breakfast.'
'That's a long way ahead,' answers Mark.
So it seemed to him. But again the novelist uses his privilege, puts down the pole, and away he goes with one great bound over a period of several years, and finds himself suddenly alight in the parlour of Crumbland. He sees before him Mark, now a middle-aged man, broad in shoulders and in beam, with ruddy cheeks that are pretty full; and Zita, now a comely matron.
Facing his father and mother, with some shyness in his face, stands Jim, the hope of the family, twirling his hat, and looking furtively in his father's face, as he says—
'Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me, and let me go.'
'Go? Go, Jim? Good gracious! what do you mean? Whither do you want to go?'