would a
chap need to be to reach up there?"

"About double your measure--over six foot."

"There you are! Now is there any chap in our boiler-shop over six
feet?"

"No."

"I knew you'd say that. Think again. What about the foreman?" and he
gave a side inclination of his head towards the unconscious Railsford.

"Oh, him! Yes, _he's_ over six foot."

"Go down two places, for saying _him_ instead of _he_. There you are,
my lord, we've got it at last. Bowled the chap out clean, first ball.
That's our case, only there's plenty more to be got out first. We'll
trouble your lordship to bring the chap in not guilty, when it's all
done." And he nodded knowingly to the jury.

Railsford had sat and listened to all this in a state of the completest
mystification. Not having heard Barnworth's opening statement, he had
no glimmer of a suspicion that the _cause celebre_ occupying the
attention of this august assembly was anything but a pleasant fiction
from beginning to end, and he had been wondering to himself whether such
performances, conducted in the irregular style which he had witnessed,
could be of any good. However, coming as a guest (for the master of the
house was always a visitor on such occasions), he deemed it best not to
interfere just then. He would give Arthur a little friendly advice as
to the conduct of a junior counsel later on.

But he was the only unconscious person in the court. The listeners had
been quick to pick up the drift of Barnworth's opening story, and
equally quick to detect the line of defence taken up by Felgate and his
vivacious junior. They kept their eyes fixed most of the time on
Railsford, to note how he took it; and when Arthur reached his
triumphant climax, some among the juniors fully expected to see their
master fall on his knees and plead guilty before the whole court.

Instead of that he laughed, and, turning to the judge, said, in an
audible voice,--

"This seems very amusing, but it's all Hebrew to me. Is this the end?"

"I think we've had nearly enough for to-night," said Ainger, who himself
felt rather uneasy lest matters should go any further. Not that he laid
any stress on Arthur's wonderful discovery--that merely amused him; but
he foresaw a danger of the tone of the proceedings becoming offensive,
and considered it better to interpose while yet there was time.

"Gentlemen," he said, "as far as the case has gone I think I may say it
has been ably conduct