fireboards, he would gaze up the flues. But no sign of the hidden
work yet.

Now, on the second floor the rooms were the most rambling
conceivable. They, as it were, dovetailed into each other. They
were of all shapes; not one mathematically square room among them
all--a peculiarity which by the master-mason had not been
unobserved. With a significant, not to say portentous expression,
he took a circuit of the chimney, measuring the area of each room
around it; then going down stairs, and out of doors, he measured
the entire ground area; then compared the sum total of the areas
of all the rooms on the second floor with the ground area; then,
returning to me in no small excitement, announced that there was
a difference of no less than two hundred and odd square
feet--room enough, in all conscience, for a secret closet.

"But, Mr. Scribe," said I, stroking my chin, "have you allowed
for the walls, both main and sectional? They take up some space,
you know."

"Ah, I had forgotten that," tapping his forehead; "but," still
ciphering on his paper, "that will not make up the deficiency."

"But, Mr. Scribe, have you allowed for the recesses of so many
fireplaces on a floor, and for the fire-walls, and the flues; in
short, Mr. Scribe, have you allowed for the legitimate chimney
itself--some one hundred and forty-four square feet or
thereabouts, Mr. Scribe?"

"How unaccountable. That slipped my mind, too."