s break through my roof and drown me."

"It is easy to avoid that," said Mr Spelman. "We have only to lay on the
cement a little thicker at one side, and slope the surface down to the
other, where a hole through the wall, with a pipe in it, would let the
water off."

"I know!" cried Willie. "That's what they called a gurgoyle!"

"I don't know anything about that," said the carpenter; "I know it will
carry off the water."

"To be sure," said Willie. "It's capital."

"But," said Mr Spelman, "it's rather too serious a job this to set about
before asking the doctor's leave. It will cost money."

"Much?" asked Willie, whose heart sank within him.

"Well, that depends on what you count much," answered Spelman. "All I
can say is, it wouldn't be anything out of your father's pocket."

"I don't see how that can be," said Willie. "--Cost money, and yet
be nothing out of my father's pocket! _I've_ only got threepence
ha'-penny."

"Your father and I will talk about it," said the carpenter mysteriously,
and offered no further information.

"There seems to be always some way of doing a thing," thought Willie to
himself.

He little knew by what a roundabout succession of cause and effect his
father's kindness to Spelman was at this moment returning to him, one of
the links of connection being this project of Willie's own.

The doctor being out at the time, the carpenter called again later in
the evening; and they had a long talk together--to the following effect.

Spelman having set forth his scheme, and the doctor having listened in
silence until he had finished--

"But," said Mr Macmichael, "that will cost a good deal, I fear, and I
have no money to spare."

"Mr Macmichael," said Spelman solemnly, his long face looking as if some
awful doom were about to issue from the middle of it, "you forget how
much I am in your debt."

"No, I don't," returned the doctor. "But neither do I forget that it
takes all your time and labour to provide for your family; and what will
become of them if you set about this job, with no return in prospect but
the satisfaction of clearing off of an old debt?"

"It is very good of you, sir, to think of that," said the carpenter;
"but, begging your pardon, I've thought of it too. Many's the time
you've come after what I'd ha' called work hours to see my wife--yes, in
the middle of the night, more than once or twice; and why shouldn't I do
the same? Look ye here, sir. If you're not in a mai