"Timothy!" said Mr. Newt to the boy, with a peculiar look.

The boy disappeared and reappeared with a yard-stick, while Mr. Newt's
face underwent a series of expressions of subdued anger and disgust.

"Now, then," said Mr. Hadley, laying the yard-stick upon the calicoes;
"yes, as I thought, seven-eighths; too narrow--sorry."

There were thirty cases of those goods in the loft. Boniface Newt groaned
in soul. The unconscious small boy, who had not understood the peculiar
look, and had brought the yard-stick, stood by.

"Mr. Newt," said Hadley, stopping at another case, "that is very
handsome."

"Very, very; and that is the last case."

"You have no other cases?"

"No."

"Oh! well, send it round at once; for I am sure--"

"Mr. Newt," said the unconscious boy, smiling with the satisfaction of
one who is able to correct an error, "you are mistaken, Sir. There are a
dozen more cases just like that up stairs."

"Ah! then I don't care about it," said Mr. Hadley, passing on. The head
of the large commission-house of Boniface Newt & Co. looked upon the