ague hope that he might be lucky enough to come across
his man.

After he had finished his supper, the waiter came up and told him
that his brother was outside.

"I have spoken to him, sir, and he warrants that he can take you
into the sort of society you want to meet, whatever it may be."

Charlie followed him out. A man was standing under the lamp that
swung before the door.

"This is the gentleman I was speaking to you of, Tony."

As the man took off his cap, Charlie had a good view of his face.
It was shrewd and intelligent.

"You understand what I want?" he asked, as the waiter ran into the
house again, to attend to his duties.

"Yes, sir. So far as I understood him, you wish to go to taverns of
somewhat inferior reputations, and to see something of that side of
London life. If you will pardon my boldness, it is somewhat of a
dangerous venture. In such places brawls are frequent, and rapiers
soon out.

"You look to me like one who could hold his own in a fray," he
added, as his eye ran over the athletic figure before him, "but it
is not always fair fighting. These fellows hang together, and while
engaged with one, half a dozen might fall upon you. As to your
purse, sir, it is your own affair. You will assuredly lose your
money, if you play or wager with them. But that is no concern of
mine. Neither, you may say, is your life; but it seems to me that
it is. One young gentleman from the country, who wanted, like you,
to see life, was killed in a brawl, and I have never forgiven
myself for having taken him to the tavern where he lost his life.
Thus, I say that, though willing enough to earn a crown or two
outside my own work, I must decline to take you to places where, as
it seems to me, you are likely to get into trouble."

"You are an honest fellow, and I like you all the more, for
speaking out frankly to me," Charlie said, "and were I, as I told
your brother, thinking of going to such places solely for
amusement, what you say would have weight with me. But, as I see
that you are to be trusted, I will tell you more. I want to find a
man who did me and mine a grievous ill turn. I have no intention of
killing him, or anything of that sort, but it is a matter of great
importance to lay hand on him. All I know of him is that he is a
frequenter of taverns here, and those not of the first character.
Just at present he is, I have reason to believe, provided with
funds, and may push himself into places where he