I won't deceive you, sir, he didn't give me
no chance to resign, but in consequence of a misunderstanding with Mr
Samuel, because I wouldn't tell lies for him, he sent me off at once."

"I am very sorry, Pringle," said Tom sympathetically.

"So am I, sir," replied the clerk; "and same time, so I ain't. But to
business, sir. So long as I was Mr Brandon's clerk, sir, my mouth
seemed to be shut, sir; but now I ain't Mr Brandon's clerk, sir, it's
open; and feeling, as I did, that there are things that you and your
respected uncle ought to hear--"

"About my uncle and cousin?" cried Tom, flushing.

"Yes, sir. There was certain papers, sir, as--"

"Thank you, Pringle," cried Tom quickly; "neither my Uncle Richard nor I
want to hear a single word about matters that are dead and buried."

"Thank you, Tom," cried Uncle Richard eagerly. "Mr Pringle will bear
me out when I say, that you have used my exact words."

"Yes, sir," said Pringle, looking into his hat, as if to consult the
maker's name. "I can corroborate that--the very words."

"So you see, Mr Pringle," continued Uncle Richard, rising to lay his
hand upon his nephew's shoulder, "you have brought your information to a
bad market, and if you expected to sell--"

"Which I'm sure I didn't, sir," cried the clerk, springing up, and
indignantly banging his hat down upon the table, to its serious injury
about the crown. "I never thought about a penny, sir, and I wouldn't
take one. I came down here, sir, because I was free, sir, and to try
and do a good turn to Mr Thomas here, sir, who was always a pleasant
young gentleman to me, and I didn't like the idea of his being done out
of his rights."

"Indeed!" said Uncle Richard, looking at the man searchingly.

"Yes, sir, indeed; I'd have spoken sooner if I could, but I always said
to myself there was plenty of time for it before Mr Thomas would be of
age. Good-morning, sir; good-morning, Mr Thomas. I'd like to shake
hands with you once more. I'm glad to see you, sir, grown so, and
looking so happy; but don't you go thinking that I came down on such a
mean errand as that. I ain't perfect, I know, and in some cases I might
have expected something, but I didn't here."

"I don't think you did, Pringle," cried Tom, holding out his hand, at
which the clerk snatched.

"Neither do I, Mr Pringle, now," said Uncle Richard, "though I did at
first. Thank you for your proffer, but once more, that unhappy business
is as