His eye twinkled as he went on, "Did I ever tell you how the young vagabond sold me last half ?" "No; how ?" "Well, he never half cleaned my study out--only just stuck the candlesticks in the cupboard, and swept the crumbs on to the floor.

So at last I was mortal angry, and had him up, and made him go through the whole performance under my eyes.

The dust the young scamp made nearly choked me, and showed that he hadn't swept the carpet before.

Well, when it was all finished, 'Now, young gentleman,' says I, 'mind, I expect this to be done every morning--floor swept, table-cloth taken off and shaken, and everything dusted.' 'Very well,' grunts he.

Not a bit of it though.