ks quite snug, Tom. My old study was just right for one; but when it
was invaded by a great rough boy like you there was not room to move.
This will do capitally; you can take possession of some of the shelves
for your specimens that you collect, and we can make it a museum as
well."

"You won't mind, uncle, if I do bring things up here?"

"I shall mind if you do not, boy. This is our room, mind, where we can
be quite independent, and make it as littery as we like without being
called to account by Mrs Fidler every time there is a mess."

As he spoke Uncle Richard unlocked the old walnut bureau, and took the
large envelope from his breast--the document which Tom had handed to him
over-night being within.

"Your papers, Tom," he said, rather huskily. "They will be as safe here
as in my room; I will put them with these leases and things. Of course
you can have my keys if you wish to see them."

"I don't want to see them, uncle," said Tom quietly.

"Not to-day perhaps, but you will, my boy. Some day we will go over the
matter together; we neither of us want to talk about it now."

"No, uncle, of course not."

Uncle Richard placed the big envelope in the drawer and locked it up,
placing the keys in his pocket; but directly after he took them out
again, and opened the drawer in which lay several other legal-looking
documents in cartridge envelopes.

"Get me one of those very large cartridge envelopes, Tom, out of the
stationery drawer," he said; and this being fetched from the
table-drawer, the important deeds were slipped in, fastened down, and
the envelope afterwards tied round in the most business-like way with
red tape. After which a wax-match was lit, and the ends of the tape
covered with sealing-wax, and stamped with an old signet-ring.

"There, my boy, we'll leave it for the present. Some day I will go and
see my solicitor about the matter."

Tom uttered a sigh of relief as the documents were locked up, for the
sight of them troubled him. He felt in a way that he could not have
explained, as if he were in some way answerable for the shame which had
come upon their family, and that it was causing something like restraint
between him and his uncle, who evidently was cruelly chagrined by his
brother's conduct.

"I shan't be in any hurry to have them brought out again," thought Tom;
and as Uncle Richard placed the keys in his pocket, Tom began hurriedly
to talk about the speculum.

"How long will i