"Has Mr. Vellacott gone?"

"No--sir!" In a tone which seemed to ask: "Now _is_ it likely?"

"Where is he?"

"In the shop, sir."

"Ask him to come here, please."

"Yess'r."

The small boy closed the door. Once outside he placed his hand upon his
heart and made a low bow to the handle, retreating backwards to the head
of the stairs. Then he proceeded to slide down the banister, to the
trifling detriment of his waistcoat. As he reached the end of his
perilous journey a door opened at the foot of the stairs, and a man's
form became discernible in the dim light.

"Is that the way you generally come downstairs, Wilson?" asked a voice.

"It is the quickest way, sir!"

"Not quite; there is one quicker, which you will discover some day if
you overbalance at the top!"

"Mr. Bodery wishes to see you, please sir!" The small boy's manner was
very different from what it had been outside the door upstairs.