England, and
I'll give up yacht-building to-morrow. Whereabouts were we in our
conversation, sir? I'm rather afraid we have lost ourselves somehow."

"I am rather afraid one of us is in the habit of losing himself every
time he opens his lips," retorted Mr. Brock. "Come, come, Allan, this is
serious. You have been rendering yourself liable for expenses which you
may not be able to pay. Mind, I am far from blaming you for your kind
feeling toward this poor friendless man--"

"Don't be low-spirited about him, sir. He'll get over it--he'll be all
right again in a week or so. A capital fellow, I have not the least
doubt!" continued Allan, whose habit it was to believe in everybody and
to despair of nothing. "Suppose you ask him to dinner when he gets well,
Mr. Brock? I should like to find out (when we are all three snug
and friendly together over our wine, you know) how he came by that
extraordinary name of his. Ozias Midwinter! Upon my life, his father
ought to be ashamed of himself."

"Will you answer me one question before I go in?" said the rector,
stopping in despair at his own gate. "This man's bill for lodging and
medical attendance may mount to twenty or thirty pounds before he gets
well again, if he ever does get well. How are you to pay for it?"

"What's that the Chancellor of the Exchequer says when he finds himself
in a mess with his accounts, and doesn't see his way out again?" asked
Allan. "He always tells his honorable friend he is quite willing to
leave a something or other--"

"A margin?" suggested Mr. Brock.

"That's it," said Allan. "I'm like the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I'm
quite willing to leave a margin. The yacht (bless her heart!) doesn't
eat up everything. If I'm short by a pound or two, don't be afraid,
sir. There's no pride about me; I'll go round with the hat, and get
the balance in the neighborhood. Deuce take the pounds, shillings,
and pence! I wish they could all three get rid of themselves, like the
Bedouin brothers at the show. Don't you remember the Bedouin brothers,
Mr. Brock? 'Ali will take a lighted torch, and jump down the throat
of his brother Muli; Muli will take a lighted torch, and jump down the
throat of his brother Hassan; and Hassan, taking a third lighted torch,
will conclude the performances by jumping down his own throat, and
leaving the spectators in total darkness.' Wonderfully good, that--what
I call real wit, with a fine strong flavor about it. Wait a minute!
Wh