dear boy."

Jim Slagg rose with a pleasant nod, slapped the breast of his coat, on
which the oblong form of a small book in the pocket could be traced,
said "Good-day, mother," and left the cottage.

It was not long before he stood in the dark passage which led to the
room described to him by the tramp. The old woman who rented it gave
him her unasked opinion of her lodger before admitting him.

"You've got no notion, sir, what a strange character that young man is."

"O yes, I have; let me see him," said Slagg.

"But, sir," continued the landlady, detaining him, "you must be careful,
for he ain't hisself quite. Not that he's ever done anythink wiolent to
me, poor young man, but he's strong in his fits, an' he raves terribly."

"Has no doctor bin to see him?" asked Slagg.

"No; he won't let me send for one. He says it's o' no use, an' he
couldn't afford to pay for one. An' oh! you've no notion what a miser
that poor young man is. He must have plenty of money, for the box as he
takes it out on--an' it's at his head he keeps it, day and night,
ginerally holdin' it with one hand--seems full o' money, for it's
wonderful heavy. I could see that when he brought it here, an' there's
no clo'es in it, that I can see, when he opens it, to get at the few
pence he wants now an' again. An' he starves hisself, an' says he's not
fit to live, an' calls hisself sitch awful names, an'--"

"Well, well, show me his room," said Slagg, with as much decision in his
tone as compelled immediate obedience.

In the corner of a small room, on a truckle-bed, with scant bedding, lay
the emaciated form of John Shanks, _alias_ Stumps, _alias_ James Gibson.
He had raised himself on one elbow, and was gazing with great lustrous
invalid eyes at the door, when his old comrade entered, for he had been
watching, and heard the first sound of footsteps in the passage.

"Oh! Jim Slagg," he cried, extending a hand which bore strong
resemblance to a claw, it was so thin. "Come to me, Jim, How I've
wished an' longed, an'--"

He stopped and burst into tears, for he was very weak, poor fellow, and
even strong men weep when their strength is brought low.

"Come now, Stumps," said Slagg, in a serious voice, as he sat down on
the bed, put an arm round his old comrade's thin shoulders, and made him
lie down, "if you go to excite yourself like that, I'll--I'll--quit the
room, an' I won't come back for an hour or more."

"No! O no!" exclaimed the