The little building where Forester’s father had his office, had a small back room in it, which opened from the office proper, and which was used as a library and private study.  It had a small fire place in it, and there was a table in the middle of the room, with a large portable writing-desk upon it.  This desk was made of rosewood.  The sides of the room were lined with book-shelves.  There was one large window which looked upon the yard and garden behind.  The books in this room were principally law-books, though there were some books of history and travels, and great dictionaries of various kinds.  Forester conducted Marco into this room, a day or two after their arrival in the village, saying,

“Here, Marco, this is to be our study.  How do you like it?”

“Very well,” said Marco.  “It is a very pleasant room.  Am I to study all these books?”

“Not more than one at a time, at any rate,” said Forester.

“This is my place, I suppose,” said Marco; and so saying he sat down in a great arm-chair, before the portable writing-desk, which was open on the table.

[Illustration:  THE STUDY.]

“No,” said Forester, “that is my place.  I am going to arrange your establishment near the window.  James has gone to bring your desk now.”

While he was speaking, the door opened, and James, the young man who lived at Forester’s father’s came in, bringing a desk.  It was painted blue, and had four legs.  These legs were of such a length as to make the desk just high enough for Marco.  James put it down, at Forester’s direction, near the window.  It was placed with the left side toward the window, so that the light from the window would strike across the desk from left to right.  This is the most convenient direction for receiving light when one is writing.  Forester then placed a chair before the desk, and Marco went into the house and brought out all the books and papers which he had, and arranged them neatly in his desk.  While he was gone, Forester took an inkstand and a sand-box out of a closet by the side of the fire, and filled them both, and put them on the desk.  He also placed in the desk a supply of paper, in quarter sheets.  After Marco had come back, and had put in his books and papers, Forester gave him a ruler and a lead pencil; also a slate and half a dozen slate pencils; also a piece of sponge and a piece of India-rubber.  He gave him besides a little square phial, and sent him to fill it with water, so that he might have water always at hand to wet his sponge with.

“Now is that all you will want?” asked Forester.

“Why, yes, I should think so,” said Marco.  “If I should want any thing else, I can ask you, you know.  You are going to stay here and study too?”

“Yes,” said Forester; “but your asking me is just what I wish to avoid.  I wish to arrange it so that we shall both have our time to ourselves, without interruption.”