Ozias Midwinter.

Mr. Brock laid aside the testimonial, suspecting that the schoolmaster
had purposely abstained from writing his address on it, with the view
of escaping all responsibility in the event of his usher's death. In any
case, it was manifestly useless, under existing circumstances, to think
of tracing the poor wretch's friends, if friends he had. To the inn he
had been brought, and, as a matter of common humanity, at the inn he
must remain for the present. The difficulty about expenses, if it came
to the worst, might possibly be met by charitable contributions from
the neighbors, or by a collection after a sermon at church. Assuring the
landlord that he would consider this part of the question and would let
him know the result, Mr. Brock quitted the inn, without noticing for the
moment that he had left Allan there behind him.

Before he had got fifty yards from the house his pupil overtook him.
Allan had been most uncharacteristically silent and serious all through
the search at the inn; but he had now recovered his usual high spirits.
A stranger would have set him down as wanting in common feeling.

"This is a sad business," said the rector. "I really don't know what to
do for the best about that unfortunate man."

"You may make your mind quite easy, sir," said young Armadale, in his
off-hand way. "I settled it all with the landlord a minute ago."

"You!" exclaimed Mr. Brock, in the utmost astonishment.

"I have merely given a few simple directions," pursued Allan. "Our
friend the usher is to have everything he requires, and is to be treated
like a prince; and when the doctor and the landlord want their money
they are to come to me."

"My dear Allan," Mr. Brock gently remonstrated, "when will you learn
to think before you act on those generous impulses of yours? You
are spending more money already on your yacht-building than you can
afford--"

"Only think! we laid the first planks of the deck the day before
yesterday," said Allan, flying off to the new subject in his usual
bird-witted way. "There's just enough of it done to walk on, if you
don't feel giddy. I'll help you up the ladder, Mr. Brock, if you'll only
come and try."

"Listen to me," persisted the rector. "I'm not talking about the
yacht now; that is to say, I am only referring to the yacht as an
illustration--"

"And a very pretty illustration, too," remarked the incorrigible Allan.
"Find me a smarter little vessel of her size in all