pedler
dumped his pack and withdrew, while the darky stowed his load in the
basement. This done, the two tiptoed once more up the stairs to where
Aunt Jemima awaited them, St. George having fallen asleep.

Beckoning the old woman away from the bedroom door and into the far
corner of the small hall, Harry unfolded to her as much of his plans
for the next day as he thought she ought to know. Early in the
morning--before his uncle was astir--he would betake himself to Kennedy
Square; ascertain from Pawson whether his uncle's rooms were still
unoccupied, and if such were the case--and St. George be unable to
walk--would pick him up bodily, wrap him in blankets, carry him in
his own arms downstairs, place him in a carriage, and drive him to his
former home where he would again pick him up and lay him in his own bed:
This would be better than a hundred doctors--he had tried it himself
when he was down with fever and knew. Aunt Jemima was to go ahead and
see that these preparations were carried out. Should Alec be able to
bring his mother to Kennedy Square in the morning, as he had instructed
him to do, then there would indeed be somebody on hand who could nurse
him even better than Jemima; should his mother not be there, Jemima
would take her place. Nothing of all this, he charged her, was to be
told St. George until the hour of departure. To dwell upon the intended
move might overexcite him. Then, when everything was ready--his linen,
etc., arranged--(Jemima was also to look after this)--he would whisk him
off and make him comfortable in his own bed. He would, of course, now
that his uncle wished it, keep secret his retreat; although why St.
George Wilmot Temple, Esq., or any other gentleman of his standing,
should object to being taken care of by his own servants was a thing he
could not understand: Pawson, of course, need not know--nor should any
outside person--not even Gadgem if he came nosing around. To these he
would merely say that Mr. Temple had seen fit to leave home and that Mr.
Temple had seen fit to return again: that was quite enough for attorneys
and collectors. To all the others he would keep his counsel, until St.
George himself made confession, which he was pretty sure he would do at
the first opportunity.

This decided upon he bade Jemima good-night, gave her explicit
directions to call him, should his uncle awake (her own room opened out
of St. George's) spread his blanket in the cramped hall outside the