the vulgar, loudly dressed little man, sucking his big cigar
and wearing his pot hat ostentatiously on one side; but when he did he
turned contemptuously aside and said,--

"Come on, young 'un."

"Come on, young 'un!" echoed Mr Durfy, taking his cigar from his mouth
and flicking the ashes in Reginald's direction, "that's just what I was
going to say. Young Gedge, you're coming with me to-night. I've got
orders for the Alhambra, my boy, and supper afterwards."

"Thank you," said Gedge, rather uncomfortably, "it's very kind of you,
Mr Durfy, but I've promised Cruden to go with him."

"Promised Cruden! What do you mean? Cruden'll keep till to-morrow; the
orders won't."

"I'm afraid I can't," said Gedge.

"Afraid! I tell you I don't mean to stand here all night begging you.
Just come along and no more nonsense. We'll have a night of it."

"You must excuse me," said the boy, torn between Reginald on the one
hand and the fear of offending Durfy on the other.

The latter began to take in the position of affairs, and his temper
evaporated accordingly.

"I won't excuse you; that's all about it," he said; "let go that
snivelling lout's arm and do what you're told. Let the boy alone, do
you hear?" added he, addressing Reginald, "and take yourself off. Come
along, Gedge."

"Gedge is not going with you," said Reginald, keeping the boy's arm in
his; "he's coming with me, aren't you, young 'un?"

The boy pressed his arm gratefully, but made no reply.

This was all Mr Durfy wanted to fill up the vials of his wrath.

"You miserable young hound you," said he, with an oath; "let go the boy
this moment, or I'll turn you out of the place--and him too."

Reginald made no reply. His face was pale, but he kept the boy's arm
still fast in his own.

"Going with you, indeed?" shouted Mr Durfy; "going with you, is he? to
learn how to cant and sing psalms! Not if I know it--or if he does, you
and he and your brother and your old fool of a mother--"

Mr Durfy never got to the end of that sentence. A blow straight from
the shoulder of the Wilderham captain sent him sprawling on the pavement
before the word was well out of his mouth.

It had come now. It had been bound to come sooner or later, and
Reginald, as he drew the boy's arm once more under his own, felt almost
a sense of relief as he stood and watched Mr Durfy slowly pick himself
up and collect his scattered wardrobe.

It was some time before the operation wa