d thence went across the
fields home to dinner. They dined at half-past twelve o'clock, which
seemed a very strange hour to Marco.

Chapter V.

Studying.

The little building where Forester's father had his office, had a
small back room in it, which opened from the office proper, and which
was used as a library and private study. It had a small fire place
in it, and there was a table in the middle of the room, with a large
portable writing-desk upon it. This desk was made of rosewood. The
sides of the room were lined with book-shelves. There was one large
window which looked upon the yard and garden behind. The books in
this room were principally law-books, though there were some books of
history and travels, and great dictionaries of various kinds. Forester
conducted Marco into this room, a day or two after their arrival in
the village, saying,

"Here, Marco, this is to be our study. How do you like it?"

"Very well," said Marco. "It is a very pleasant room. Am I to study
all these books?"

"Not more than one at a time, at any rate," said Forester.

"_This_ is my place, I suppose," said Marco; and so saying he sat
down in a great arm-chair, before the portable writing-desk, which was
open on the table.

[Illustration: THE STUDY.]

"No," said Forester, "that is _my_ place. I am going to arrange
your establishment near the window. James has gone to bring your desk
now."

While he was speaking, the door opened, and James, the young man who
lived at Forester's father's came in, bringing a desk. It was painted
blue, and had four legs. These legs were of such a length as to make
the desk just high enough for Marco. James put it down, at Forester's
direction, near the window. It was placed with the left side toward
the window, so that the light from the window would strike across the
desk from left to right. This is the most convenient direction for
receiving light when one is writing. Forester then placed a chair
before the desk, and Marco went into the house and brought out all the
books and papers which he had, and arranged them neatly in his desk.
While he was gone, Forester took an inkstand and a sand-box out of a
closet by the side of the fire, and filled them both, and put them on
the desk. He also placed in the desk a supply of paper, in quarter
sheets. After Marco had come back, and had put in his books and
papers, Forester gave him a ruler and a lead pencil; also a slate and
half a dozen sla