Let him think he is going to
be in great trouble, and it will make him remember. But you give me the
people's names, my dear, and I'll set my lawyer on to 'em; and don't you
worry yourself any more. I'll square it all for you, and make it
right."

"But the shame--the disgrace!" cried Hazel.

"It's no shame or disgrace of yours, my dear," he said. "You couldn't
help it. I had three boys in my place at different times as was bitten
that way. Lots of 'em are. A silly young dog! He deserves to be well
flogged. But just you leave the thing to me, and I'll put it right.
But what are you going to do with him afterwards? You can't keep him
here!"

It was a question Hazel could not answer, for like a blow the idea came
to her that by his act of dishonest folly her brother had lost his
character, and that the chances were greatly against his obtaining
further employment.

"Ah! You don't know," said Mr William Forth Burge cheerfully. "You
can't think. It is a job, isn't it? Sometimes, my dear, I have thought
that boys are a regular mistake. They're a terrible lot of trouble,
unless they make up their minds to be very careful and particular, and
that they don't often do. But never you mind. We'll see if we can't
set it all right by-and-by. We'll get him out of the scrape first, and
then see what's to be done with him afterwards. Now, suppose I put down
who the people are; and you may as well give me the letters you talked
about.--That's right. Now wait a bit."

Mr William Forth Burge's coat was buttoned very tightly across his
chest, and he had some difficulty in getting at the breast-pocket; but
he extricated therefrom a large metallic paper pocket-book, such as
would be used by a commercial traveller about to receive an order,
opened the clasp, found a suitable place, and fixed it by placing the
elastic band of the pocket-book round the leaves, after which he
moistened the tip of the pencil between his lips from habit, and
proceeded to enter the day and date of the month.

"Nothing like doing these things in a business-like way, my dear," he
said, as he wrote on, asking questions and making his notes, ending by
saying:

"Now, suppose we have in the young fellow."

"Have him in?" faltered Hazel.

"Yes; let's have him in and give him a bit of a talking to. Don't you
think it will be best?"

Hazel thought for a few moments, and in that brief space she seemed to
realise exactly what Percy would say,