eir beds."

"Maria, you're a goose," said the old housekeeper. "Don't talk such
rubbish."

"Ah, you may call it rubbish, Mrs Millett, but if you'd seen that boy
just now stealing--"

"Stealing, Maria?"

"Yes 'm, stealing into Master's study like a thief in the night--and
after no good, I'll be bound,--you wouldn't be so ready to take his
part."

"Gone in to write his lessons," said Mrs Millett. "There, you go and
get about your work."

Maria snorted, stuck out her chin, and left the kitchen.

"Yes, she may talk, but I say he's after no good," muttered the
housemaid; "and I'm going to see what he's about, or my name ain't what
it is."

Meanwhile Dexter was very busy in the study, but in a furtive way
writing the following letter in a bold, clear hand, which was, however,
rather shaky in the loops of the letters, while the capitals had an
inclination to be independent, and to hang away from the small letters
of the various words:--

Sir,

Me and a friend have borrowed your boat, for we are going a long
journey; but as we may keep it all together, I send to you fourteen
shillings and a fourpny piece, which I have saved up, and if that isn't
quite quite enough I shall send you some more. I hope you won't mind
our taking your boat, but Bob Dimsted says we must have it, or we can't
get on.

Yours af--very truly,

Obed Coleby, or To Sir Jhames Danby, Dexter Grayson.

Dexter's spelling was a little shaky here and there, but the letter was
pretty intelligible; and, as soon as it was done, he took out his money
and made a packet of it, and doubled it up, a task he had nearly
finished, when he became aware that the door was partly opened, and as
he guiltily thrust the packet into his pocket the door opened widely,
and Maria entered, with a sharp, short cough.

"Did I leave my duster here, Master Dexter!" she said, looking round
sharply.

Before Dexter could reply, she continued--

"No, I must have left it upstairs."

She whisked out and closed the door with a bang, the very opposite of
the way in which she had opened it, and said to herself triumphantly--

"There, I knew he was doing of something wrong, and if I don't find him
out, my name ain't Maria."

Dexter hurriedly finished his packet, laying the money in it again after
further consideration--in and out amongst the paper, so that the money
should not chink, and then placing it in the enclosure with the letter,
he tied it up with a piece of the