e liked very much to have inquired further into this
transaction; but he relinquished the idea, in compliance with his
uncle's wish. He found, however, that his sympathy for the poor
prisoner, as is usual in such cases, was very much diminished by knowing
the offence of which he had been guilty.

Rollo had an opportunity to experience the advantages of the London
system of police three or four days after this, in an emergency, which,
as I am now speaking of the policemen, I will mention here. He had been
to see the British Museum with his uncle George, and had undertaken to
find his way back to the lodgings in Northumberland Court alone, his
uncle having had occasion at that time to go in another direction. The
distance from the museum to Northumberland Court was only about a mile;
but the intervening streets were very short, narrow, and intricate, and
were inclined towards each other at all possible angles, so that Rollo
very soon lost his way. In fact, he soon became completely turned round;
and, instead of going towards Northumberland Court, he went wandering on
in exactly a contrary direction. He turned this way and that, and looked
at the names of the streets on all the corners, in hopes to find some
one he had heard of before. Finally he became completely bewildered.

"I shall have to give it up," said he to himself. "If it was a pleasant
day, I could go by the sun; for by keeping to the south I should, sooner
or later, come to the river."

Unfortunately for Rollo, as is usually the case in London, the sun was
not to be seen. The sky was obscured with an impenetrable veil of smoke
and vapor.

"I'll take a cab," said Rollo, "at the first stand, and tell the cabman
to drive me to Northumberland Court. He must find where it is the best
way he can."

Rollo put his hands in his pockets as he said this, and found, to his
consternation, that he had no money. He had left his purse in the pocket
of another suit of clothes at home. He immediately decided that he must
give up the plan of taking a cab, since he had no money to pay for it.
This difficulty, however, was, in fact, by no means insuperable, as he
might have taken a cab, and paid the fare when he arrived at his
lodgings, by asking the man to wait at the door while he went up to get
his purse. He did not, however, think of this plan, but decided at once
that he must find some other way of getting home than by taking a cab.

"I will ask a policeman," said he.