king in a sensible sort of a way, so
that if you came in and listened to what they said, you'd think it was
the truth? Have you ever heard of that?"

"I don't suppose I can give you an instance, but obviously it must often
happen."

"Must it?" said Barnes, in a depressed voice. "You see, I set particular
value by this watch-bracelet; and I thought perhaps I might have talked
about it in my sleep, and that mare just to spite me have gone and taken
it. I wonder where it is now."

Michael also began to wonder where it was now, and Barnes' anxiety was
transferred to him, so that he began to fancy the whole of this fine
morning was tremendously bound up with exactly where the watch-bracelet
now was. Barnes had begun to turn over everything for about the sixth
time.

"If the watch is here," said Michael irritably, "it will be found when
you move your things out, and if it's not here, it's useless to go on
worrying about it."

"Ah, it's all very nice for you to be so calm! But what price it's being
my watch that's lost, not yours, old sport?"

"I'm not going to talk about it any more," Michael declared. "I want to
know what you're going to do when you leave here."

"Ah, that's it! What am I?"

"Would you like to go to the Colonies?"

"What, say good-bye to dear old Leicester Square and pop off for good
and all? I wouldn't mind."

"I don't mind telling you," said Michael, "that if I'd discovered you
here a week ago living like this, I should have had nothing more to do
with you. As it is, I've a good mind to sling you out to look after
yourself. However, I'm willing to get you a ticket for wherever you
think you'd like to go, and when I hear you've arrived, I'll send you
enough money to keep you going for a time."

"Fane, I don't mind saying it. You've been a good pal to me."

"Hark, there's the milkman at last!" Michael exclaimed. He went out into
the sparkling air of the fine Summer morning and came back with plenty
of milk for breakfast. After they had made a sort of meal, he suggested
that Barnes ought to come with him and visit some of the Colonial
Agencies. They walked down Victoria Street and across St. James' Park,
and in the Strand he made Barnes have a shave. The visit to the barber
took away some of his nocturnal raffishness, and Michael found him very
amusing during the various discussions that took place in the Agencies.

"I think the walk has done you good."

"Yes," Barnes doubtfully admitted. "I