et him ruin
himself without an effort at rescue.

It is one thing to snatch a heedless one from under the hoofs of a cab-
horse and another to pick him up from the slippery path of vice and set
him firmly on his feet. Reginald had thought nothing of the one, but he
looked forward with considerable trepidation to meeting the boy next
morning and attempting the other.

Gedge was there when he arrived, working very busily, and looking rather
troubled. He flushed up as Reginald approached, and put down his
composing-stick to shake hands with him. Reginald looked and felt by a
long way the more uncomfortable and guilty of the two, and he was at
least thankful that Gedge spared him the trouble of beginning.

"Oh! Cruden," said the boy, "I know exactly what you're going to say.
You're going to tell me you're deceived in me, and that I'm a young fool
and going to the dogs as hard as I can. I don't wonder you think so."

"I wasn't going to say that," said Reginald. "I was going to ask you
how you were."

"Oh, I'm all right; but I know you're going to lecture me, Cruden, and
I'm sure you may. There's nothing you can say I don't deserve. I only
wish I could make you believe I'll never be such a fool again. I've
been making resolutions all night, and now you've come here I'm sure I
shall be able to break it off. If you will only stand by me, Cruden! I
owe you such a lot. If you only knew how grateful I was!"

"Perhaps we'd better not talk about it now," said Reginald, feeling very
uncomfortable and rather disconcerted at this glib flow of penitence.

But young Gedge was full of it yet, and went on,--

"I'm going to turn over a new leaf this very day, Cruden. I've told the
errand-boy he's not to get me any beer, and I'm determined next time
that beast Durfy asks me to go--"

"What!" exclaimed Reginald; "was it with him you used to go?"

"Yes. I know you'll think all the worse of me for it, after the
blackguard way he's got on to you. You see, before you came I didn't
like--that is, I couldn't well refuse him; he'd have made it so hot for
me here. I fancy he found out I had some pocket-money of my own, for he
generally picked on me to come and have drinks with him, and of course I
had to pay. Why, only last night--look out, here he comes!"

Sure enough he was, and in his usual amiable frame of mind.

"Oh, there you are, are you?" he said to Reginald, with a sneer. "Do
you know where the lower-case `x' i