CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.
MISS JILL OLIPHANT AT HOME.
When His Grace, who had been a good deal puzzled by his abrupt, under- stamped invitation, stepped, head in air, into the drawing-room, he was somewhat taken aback to discover neither the captain nor his charming elder daughter, but instead, to be greeted by a little girl, nervously put forward by a small boy, and saying-- "Oh, duke, _do_ you mind coming?
I hope you'll enjoy the party so much.
There'll be some dancing presently, and supper as soon as all the others come." "You're the first," said Tom.

"Never mind, the others won't be long.
Like to read the newspaper, or take a turn round ?" Mentally he was calculating how he should manage to squeeze in the duke's two daughters, who hadn't been invited, at his hospitable board.
The duke smiled affably.
"We are rather early, but Miss Rosalind will excuse--" "Oh, she's away--so is father.

This is my party and Tom's.

Oh, duke, do try and like it!" said Jill, taking the great man's hand.
The duke cast a scared look over his shoulder at his daughters, who were staring in a somewhat awestruck manner at their two small hosts.
"If the girls would like to begin dancing," suggested Tom, "Jill can play her piece now, and you can take one, and I'll take the other.
It'll keep the things going, you know, till the rest turn up." At this juncture Dr Brandram was announced, greatly to Tom's delight, who, among so many strangers, was beginning to feel a little shy.
"That's all right," said he.

"Good old Brandy! you lead off with one of the Marigold girls, while I stop here and do the how-d'ye-do's." The doctor, with a serious face, led His Grace aside.
"This appears to be a freak of the two young people," said he.