trong, old fellow," said he one day at the close of the year,
"won't you help me in this? I know you hate the business, and think me
a fool for my pains. I must do it, with you or without you, and would
sooner do it with you. In ten months it will be too late."

"I hate the business, as you say, but you may count on me; only don't
ask me to hail Mr Ratman as Squire of Maxfield, or subscribe a penny to
his maintenance, a day before his claim is proved."

"You are a brick; I was a cad ever to doubt it. Let us start next week
for Boulogne."

"Quite so," said the tutor, screwing his glass viciously into his eye;
"let us go to Boulogne by all means."

CHAPTER TWENTY.

THE GHOST OF HAMLET.

It is possible to conceive of a more hopeful task than hunting up and
down a large French town for tidings of a strolling player who, for one
night only, played the ghost in _Hamlet_ twenty years ago. But Roger,
as, early in the year, he stepped ashore at Boulogne with Armstrong at
his side, felt sanguine and of good cheer.

His recovery had been slow, and not without interruption. As soon as he
could be moved he had returned to Maxfield, only to find Rosalind still
away, and his guardian obdurate to any suggestion for expediting her
return.

As to the proposed journey to Boulogne, the gallant captain looked upon
that as a symptom of serious mental exhaustion on the part of the
invalid. Roger, however, was in a mood impervious to argument.

When the time actually came, the captain surprised every one by giving
in more readily than any one had expected. The truth was, Mr Ratman,
though lost to sight, contrived to make himself very dear to his
debtor's memory, and already a legal document had reached Maxfield
demanding the payment in full of a certain bill within a certain date on
pain of certain consequences. And Captain Oliphant felt it would be
distinctly convenient, for a while, to be relieved of the presence both
of his co-trustee and his ward. He felt himself quite competent to deal
with the trust moneys which were shortly about to come in without
assistance.

When, therefore, Roger with some hesitation returned to the charge, he
said, somewhat severely--

"You are old enough to decide for yourself, my boy. You know my view of
the matter. I conclude you are not going alone?"

"No; Armstrong is coming."

"Naturally. I wish you joy. On your return I shall be happy to resume
my responsibility for your we