nd paint them
accordingly. Certain it is that the common, weary next morning broke
through the windows and found Black Sheep quite well and a good deal
ashamed of himself, but richer by the knowledge that he could, in
extremity, secure himself against Harry for the future.

When he descended to breakfast on the first day of the holidays, he
was greeted with the news that Harry, Aunty Rosa, and Judy were going
away to Brighton, while Black Sheep was to stay in the house with the
servant. His latest outbreak suited Aunty Rosa's plans admirably. It
gave her good excuse for leaving the extra boy behind. Papa in Bombay,
who really seemed to know a young sinner's wants to the hour, sent,
that week, a package of new books. And with these, and the society of
Jane on board-wages, Black Sheep was left alone for a month.

The books lasted for ten days. They were eaten too quickly, in long
gulps of four-and-twenty hours at a time. Then came days of doing
absolutely nothing, of dreaming dreams and marching imaginary armies
up and down stairs, of counting the number of banisters, and of
measuring the length and breadth of every room in handspans--fifty
down the side, thirty across, and fifty back again. Jane made many
friends, and, after receiving Black Sheep's assurance that he would
not tell of her absences, went out daily for long hours. Black Sheep
would follow the rays of the sinking sun from the kitchen to the
dining-room and thence upward to his own bedroom until all was gray
dark, and he ran down to the kitchen fire and read by its light. He
was happy in that he was left alone and could read as much as he
pleased. But, later, he grew afraid of the shadows of window-curtains
and the flapping of doors and the creaking of shutters. He went out
into the garden, and the rustling of the laurel-bushes frightened him.

He was glad when they all returned--Aunty Rosa, Harry, and Judy--full
of news, and Judy laden with gifts. Who could help loving loyal little
Judy? In return for all her merry babblement, Black Sheep confided to
her that the distance from the hall-door to the top of the first
landing was exactly one hundred and eighty-four handspans. He had
found it out himself.

Then the old life recommenced; but with a difference, and a new sin.
To his other iniquities Black Sheep had now added a phenomenal
clumsiness--was as unfit to trust in action as he was in word. He
himself could not account for spilling everything he touche