be single-handed here. It must be hard work for you."

"Pretty hard sometimes."

"I suppose clothing is what you chiefly supply?"

"We have also been sending out a lot of globes and blackboards to
schools."

"Dear me, I should be glad to get a pair of globes for our parish
school--very glad. Have you them here?"

"No, they are in London too."

"And how do you sell them? I fear they are very expensive."

"They cost L3 the set, but we only ask L2 with the order."

"That really seems moderate. I shall be strongly tempted to ask our
Vicar to let me get a pair when in London. Will Mr Smith be able to
show them to me?"

"Yes, he is superintending the sending off of them too."

"How crowded Weaver's Hotel must be, with so many bulky articles!" said
the curate.

"Oh, you know, I don't suppose Mr Smith keeps them there; but he lives
there while he's in town, that's all. Our directors generally put up at
Weaver's Hotel."

"I should greatly like to see a list of the directors, if I may," said
the clergyman. "There's nothing gives one so much confidence as to see
honoured names on the directorate of a company like yours."

"I can give you a list if you like," said Reginald.

"I daresay you know by name the Bishop of S--, our chairman?"

"To be sure, and--dear me, what a very good list of names! Thank you,
if I may take one of these, I should like to show it to my friends.
Well, then, I will call on Mr Smith in London, and meanwhile I am very
much obliged to you, Mr Reginald, for your courtesy. Very glad to have
made your acquaintance. Good afternoon."

And he shook hands cordially with the secretary, and departed, leaving
Reginald considerably soothed in spirit, as he reflected that he had
really done a stroke of work for the Corporation that day on his own
account.

It was well for his peace of mind that he did not know that the
clergyman, on turning the corner of Shy Street, rubbed his hands merrily
together, and said to himself, in tones of self-satisfaction,--

"Well, if that wasn't the neatest bit of work I've done since I came on
the beat. The innocent! He'd sit up, I guess, if he knew the nice
pleasant-spoken parson he's been blabbing to was Sniff of the detective
office. My eye--it's all so easy, there's not much credit about the
business after all. But it's pounds, shillings and pence to Sniff, and
that's better!"

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

SAMUEL SHUCKLEFORD FINDS HIMSELF BUSY.

"Je