-"

"I know all about that," said Halliday. "You were squeamish about
something or other he wanted it for. Well, the watch belonged to you, I
suppose, and you aren't obliged to lend it to anybody. What on earth do
you want to go worrying about the thing any more for?"

"I'm not; only I wanted to be friends with Tom Drift."

"What for?" demanded Joe.

"Oh, because--because I promised his mother I would be," pleaded
Charlie.

"All I can say is, you had no business to promise any one to be friends
with a fellow you never saw."

"But she said he was a nice fellow; and besides he made my watch go when
it had stopped," added Charlie, as a great argument.

"Why, Charlie, you are a greater little noodle than I took you for.
Every one who calls that precious watch a good name is your master, and
you're his slave."

"Not so bad as that, Joe," said Charlie; "but I say, isn't Tom Drift a
nice boy, then?"

"Isn't he? that's all," replied the other. "I'm not going to abuse him
behind his back, but take my advice, young un. You are better off as
Tom's enemy than his friend, and don't you try to make up to him any
more."

"Why not?" asked Charlie in bewilderment.

"Never you mind," was all Joe's reply; "and now hand me down my Liddell
and Scott and make yourself scarce."

Charlie, sorely puzzled, did as he was bid.

He certainly was not in love with Tom Drift; but it was not easy for him
to give up, without an effort, his promise to be his friend.

Tom, however, was by no means in need of friends. Not many weeks after
the day when Charlie had left his study, disappointed and miserable, he
might have been seen entertaining company of quite a different sort.

[My readers, let me here observe, must not be too curious to understand
how it is I am able to speak of so many things which must have taken
place beyond the range of my observation. They will find the reason all
in good time.]

The supper party over which Tom presided consisted of four boys,
including himself. One was Shadbolt, on whose account, it will be
remembered, Tom had desired to borrow Charlie's watch. Shadbolt was an
unwholesome-looking fellow of fifteen, with coarse features and eyes
that could not look you straight in the face if they had tried. He was
accompanied by his chum Margetson, who certainly had the advantage of
his friend in looks, as well as in intellect. The quartet was completed
by Gus Burke, one of the smallest and most vicio