"Can't help it, Matt," said Septimus, removing a hair from his pen by wiping it upon his coat-tail, and then smearing his forehead with his inky fingers, ready for Lucy, who entered the room directly after, to take his careworn head upon her arm, wet a corner of her handkerchief between her rosy lips, and then wipe away the obstinate smear--Septimus the while as still and patient as possible, till the fair girl concluded her performance with a kiss, when he went on with his task. "Exors-- ecutors--and assigns," muttered Septimus, writing. "Can't help it, Matt, I suppose it's my nature to be weak." "And let everyone kick you," said Matt to himself.--"Well, sir," he continued aloud, "it's my belief that this uncle of yours, not to put too fine a point upon it, is a rogue. He's a deep one, that's what he is; but then, you know, he isn't the only deep one in the world, and if you'd begun when you should have done--there, I won't say so any more," he exclaimed hastily, for Septimus made an impatient movement. "Now, you see, you've taken this sudden whim--very well, sir, all right--we've talked you into it, say then--and you mean now to see if you can't go on with the matter. Better late than never, say I; so now, how does it stand? He has possession, and that's what they call nine points of the law; and he's had possession for above a year, and you haven't taken a step to dispute his right.--Well, I can't go into the thing without speaking of the rights and wrongs of it, can I?" exclaimed the old man in an injured tone, for Septimus shuffled nervously in his seat. "There, go on!" said Septimus. "But, there, p'raps I'm making too free," said the old man, snatching at the string so angrily that he broke the other leg of the figure he had brought the child.--"Never mind, my man," he whispered; "I'll bring you such a good un next time I come." "Go on, Matt," said Septimus quietly; "you ought to make allowances for me." "So I do, sir, so I do--heaps," cried the old man eagerly. "We have not so many friends," continued Septimus, laying down his pen and stretching out his hand, "that we can afford to behave slightingly to their advice, even if it is unpalatable." Old Matt took the proffered hand, and shook it warmly, before going on with his subject. "Well, sir," said Matt, "you say he told you out flat that you were a-- a--well, you know what I mean." "Yes, yes," said Septimus drearily, for he had so familiarised himself in thought with the word, that it had ceased to bring up an indignant flush to his cheek. "Well," said Matt, "then the whole of our work--I say `our,' you know--" Septimus nodded. "The whole of our work consists in proving him false." "Exactly," said Septimus, sticking his pen behind his ear; "but how?"