set alight than put out: and if there's the water-butt for me to drop
into, there ain't water-butts for the rest of the house."

"Very true," murmured Constance, speaking as if she were in reflection.

"Nobody knows the worry this has been upon my mind," resumed Judith.
"Every night when I have seen his window alight, I have said to myself,
'I'll tell my mistress of this when morning comes;' but, when the
morning has come, my resolution has failed me. It might worry her, and
anger Mr. Hamish, and do no good after all. If he really has not time
for his books in the day, why he must do 'em at night, I suppose; it
would never do for him to fall off, and let the master's means drop
through. What ought to be done, Miss Constance?"

"I really do not know, Judith," replied Constance. "You must let me
think about it."

She fell into an unpleasant reverie. The most feasible solution she
could come to, was the one adopted by Judith--that Hamish passed his
nights at the books. If so, how sadly he must idle away his time in the
day! Did he give his hours up to nonsense and pleasure? And how could
he contrive to hide his shortcomings from Mr. Channing? Constance was
not sure whether the books went regularly under the actual inspection
of Mr. Channing, or whether Hamish went over them aloud. If only the
latter, could the faults be concealed? She knew nothing of
book-keeping, and was unable to say. Leaving her to puzzle over the
matter, we will return to Hamish himself.

We left him in the last chapter, you may remember, objecting to go down
a certain side-street which would have cut off a short distance of