"From the college?" exclaimed Arthur.

"From the college, and from me. His father comes to me, an hour ago,
and says he is sure Jupp's in a bad state of health, and he intends to
send him to his relatives in the Scotch mountains for some months, to
try and brace him up. Not a word of apology, for leaving me at a
pinch."

"It will be very inconvenient for you," said Arthur. "I suppose that
new apprentice of yours is of no use yet for the services?"

"Use!" irascibly retorted Mr. Williams, "he could not play a psalm if
it were to save his life. I depended upon Jupp. It was an understood
thing that he should remain with me as assistant; had it not been, I
should have taken good care to bring somebody on to replace him. As to
attending the services on week-days myself, it is next door to an
impossibility. If I do, my teaching will be ruined."

"I wish I was at liberty," said Arthur; "I would take them for you."

"Look here, Channing," said the organist. "Since I had this information
of old Jupp's, my brain has been worrying itself pretty well, as you
may imagine. Now, there's no one I would rather trust to take the
week-day services than you, for you are fully capable, and I have
trained you into my own style of playing: I never could get Jupp
entirely into it; he is too fond of noise and flourishes. It has struck
me that perhaps Mr. Galloway might spare you: his office is not
overdone with work, and I would make it worth your while."

Arthur, somewhat bewildered at the proposal, sat down on one of the