Shortly after this discourse of Riccabocca's, an incident occurred to Leonard that served to carry his mind into new directions.

One evening, when his mother was out, he was at work on a new mechanical contrivance, and had the misfortune to break one of the instruments which he employed.

Now it will be remembered that his father had been the squire's head carpenter: the widow had carefully hoarded the tools of his craft, which had belonged to her poor Mark; and though she occasionally lent them to Leonard, she would not give them up to his service.

Amongst these Leonard knew that he should find the one that he wanted; and being much interested in his contrivance, he could not wait till his mother's return.

The tools, with other little relies of the lost, were kept in a large trunk in Mrs.Fairfield's sleepingroom; the trunk was not locked, and Leonard went to it with out ceremony or scruple.