e side of
the law, which always huddles up everything. A keen eye must be kept
upon that scoundrel, but he must never dream that he is watched at all;
he has committed a capital offense. But as yet there is nothing but
his own raving to convict him of barratry. The truth must be got at by
gentle means. I must not claim the 500 pounds as yet, but I am sure of
getting it. And I have excellent hopes of the 5000 pounds."

Geoffrey Mordacks never took three nights to sleep upon his thoughts (as
the lawyer of Middleton loved to do), but rather was apt to overdrive
his purport, with the goad of hasty action. But now he was quite
resolved to be most careful; for the high hand would never do in such a
ticklish matter, and the fewer the hands introduced at all into it, the
better the chance of coming out clear and clean. The general factor had
never done anything which, in his opinion, was not thoroughly upright;
and now, with his reputation made, and his conscience stiffened to the
shape of it, even a large sum of money must be clean, and cleanly got
at, to make it pay for handling.

This made him counsel with himself just now. For he was a superior man
upon the whole, and particular always in feeling sure that the right
word in anything would be upon his side. Not that he cared a groat for
anybody's gossip; only that he kept a lofty tenor of good opinion. And
sailors who made other sailors tipsy, and went rolling about on the
floor all together, whether with natural legs or artificial, would do no
credit to his stairs of office on a fine market-day in the morning. On
the other hand, while memory held sway, no instance could be cited of
two jolly sailors coming to see the wonders of this venerable town,
and failing to be wholly intoxicated with them, before the Minster bell
struck one.

This was to be avoided, or rather forestalled, as a thing inevitable
should be. Even in York city, teeming as it is with most delightful
queerities, the approach of two sailors with three wooden legs might
be anticipated at a distant offing, so abundant are boys there, and
everywhere. Therefore it was well provided, on the part of Master
Mordacks, that Kitty, or Koity, the maid-of-all-work, a damsel of
muscular power and hard wit, should hold tryst with these mariners in
the time of early bucket, and appoint a little meeting with her master
by-and-by. This she did cleverly, and they were not put out; because
they were to dine at his expense at