rubbed his inky ear, and looked at his wife.

'--And so arrange them as to have them always in order for immediate
reference, with a note of the contents of each outside it.'

'I tell you what,' said Mr Boffin, slowly crumpling his own blotted note
in his hand; 'if you'll turn to at these present papers, and see what
you can make of 'em, I shall know better what I can make of you.'

No sooner said than done. Relinquishing his hat and gloves, Mr Rokesmith
sat down quietly at the table, arranged the open papers into an orderly
heap, cast his eyes over each in succession, folded it, docketed it on
the outside, laid it in a second heap, and, when that second heap was
complete and the first gone, took from his pocket a piece of string and
tied it together with a remarkably dexterous hand at a running curve and
a loop.

'Good!' said Mr Boffin. 'Very good! Now let us hear what they're all
about; will you be so good?'

John Rokesmith read his abstracts aloud. They were all about the new
house. Decorator's estimate, so much. Furniture estimate, so much.
Estimate for furniture of offices, so much. Coach-maker's estimate, so
much. Horse-dealer's estimate, so much. Harness-maker's estimate, so
much. Goldsmith's estimate, so much. Total, so very much. Then came
correspondence. Acceptance of Mr Boffin's offer of such a date, and to
such an effect. Rejection of Mr Boffin's proposal of such a date and to
such an effect. Concerning Mr Boffin's scheme of such another date to
such another effect. All compact and methodical.

'Apple-pie order!' said Mr Boffin, after checking off each inscription
with his hand, like a man beating time. 'And whatever you do with your
ink, I can't think, for you're as clean as a whistle after it. Now, as
to a letter. Let's,' said Mr Boffin, rubbing his hands in his pleasantly
childish admiration, 'let's try a letter next.'

'To whom shall it be addressed, Mr Boffin?'

'Anyone. Yourself.'

Mr Rokesmith quickly wrote, and then read aloud:

'"Mr Boffin presents his compliments to Mr John Rokesmith, and begs
to say that he has decided on giving Mr John Rokesmith a trial in the
capacity he desires to fill. Mr Boffin takes Mr John Rokesmith at his
word, in postponing to some indefinite period, the consideration of
salary. It is quite understood that Mr Boffin is in no way committed
on that point. Mr Boffin has merely to add, that he relies on Mr John
Rokesmith's assurance that he will be faithful and se