tantaneously in a
quiet slumber.

"When did he eat last?" asked Slagg of the old woman, in a low voice,
for he had been taught, or had learned intuitively, that few things are
more disheartening in a sick-room than a whisper.

"This morning he breakfasted at six, but it was on'y a hap'orth o' bread
and a drink o' cold water."

"And how dare you starve your lodger in that way?" demanded Slagg,
leading the astonished woman into the passage and closing the door.
"Don't you know that starving a man is equal to murdering him, and that
you'll be liable to be hung if he dies? There, take this half-sov, and
be off to the nearest shop, an' buy--let me see--sassengers and steaks
and--oh, _you_ know better than me what a sick man wants. Get along
with you, and be back sharp. Stay! where are your matches? Ah! Any
coals? Good, now away with you and fetch a doctor too, else I'll fetch
a policeman, you bolster of bones."

Thus ordered, threatened, and adjured, the landlady, half-amused, and
more than half-frightened at the visitor's gushing energy, hurried from
the house, while Slagg returned to the miserable room, and did his best
to render it less miserable by kindling a splendid fire.

It is, perhaps, unnecessary to add, that a breakfast soon filled that
room with delicious odour, such as had not been felt in that lowly
neighbourhood for many years; that Stumps, after a refreshing sleep,
partook of the feast with relish; that Jim Slagg also partook of it--of
most of it, indeed--and enjoyed it to the full; that the old landlady
was invited to "fall to," and did fall to with alacrity; that the
domestic cat also managed to fall to, surreptitiously, without
invitation, and not the less enjoyably on that account; that a miserable
semi-featherless but unconquerable canary in a cage in the window took
care that it was not forgotten; and that several street boys, smelling
the viands from afar, came round the outer door, became clamorous, and
were not sent empty away.

It may, however, be advisable to add, that Stumps did not die; that joy
of heart, good feeding, and--perhaps--the doctor, brought him round, and
that he afterwards went to the country to spend the period of
convalescence in the cottage by the roadside, with Slagg's mother.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

IN WHICH THE STORY FINDS A "FAULT," AND THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT ENDS.

Now, it is not in the nature of things that man, in his present state,
should attain to full