once seized him by the arm, and made him walk
with them, while he explained the circumstances in which his daughter
and old Liz had been so suddenly placed.

"Wouldn't it be better for me," said Sam, "to steer straight for the
garden than to go along with you?"

"Na--ye'll gang wi' me. It's plain that they hae auld freen's veesitin'
them at the gairden, sae we'd better lat them alane. Besides, I want ye
for a wutness; I'm no much o' a polis man, nevertheless I'm gaun to try
my haund at a bit o' detective business. Just you come wi' me, and
niver say a word till ye're spoken to."

"Heave ahead then, skipper; you're in command," returned the sailor with
a quiet laugh. It was echoed by little Tommy, who was hugely pleased
with the semi-mysterious looks and nods of his Scottish friend, and
regarded the turn affairs seemed to be taking as infinitely superior to
mere ordinary mischief.

Arrived at Chancery Lane, they soon discovered the office of John
Lockhart, Esquire, Solicitor. Entering, they found the principal seated
at a table covered with papers and legal documents of all kinds. Both
the lawyer and the farmer felt, but did not show, some surprise on
looking at each other.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

DARK DESIGNS.

The lawyer was first to speak. "It strikes me I have seen you before,"
he said, looking at Laidlaw with a sharp steady gaze.

"Ay, sir, an' I've seen _you_ before," returned the latter with an
extremely simple look. "I saw ye whan I was comin' oot o' the hoose o'
Mr Speevin, whar I'm lodgin'."

"Oh, exactly!" returned the lawyer with a bland smile; "pray be seated,
gentlemen, and let me know your business."

They obeyed,--Sam Blake with an expression of stolid stupidity on his
countenance, which was powerfully suggestive of a ship's figurehead--
Tommy with an air of meekness that was almost too perfect.

It would be tedious to detail the conversation that ensued. Suffice it
to say that David said he was a Scotch farmer on a visit to London; that
he possessed a good lot of spare cash, for which, at the time being, he
got very small interest; that he did not understand business matters
very well, but what he wanted to know was, how he should go about
investing funds--in foreign railways, for instance, such as the Washab
and Roria line.

At this point he was interrupted by Mr Lockhart who asked what had put
that particular railway into his head, and was informed that the
newspapers had done so