of a note; "are you
Mister T-Tom--Tupper, Esquire?"

"No, I'm not."

"Ain't there sitch a name in the house?"

"No, not that I know of."

Willie's face looked blank.

"Well, I was told he lived here," he muttered, again consulting the
note.

"Here, let me look," said Barret, taking the note from the boy. "This
is Tippet, not Tupper. He lives in the top floor. By the way,
Auberly," said Barret, glancing over his shoulder, "Isn't Tom Tippet a
sort of connection of yours?"

"Yes; a distant one," said Fred carelessly, "too distant to make it
worth while our becoming acquainted. He's rich and eccentric, I'm told.
Assuredly, he must be the latter if he lives in such a hole as this.
What are you staring at, boy?"

This question was put to Willie.

"Please, sir, are _you_ the Mr Auberly who was a'most skumfished with
smoke at the Beverly Square fire t'other day, in tryin' to git hold o'
yer sister?"

Fred could not but smile as he admitted the fact.

"Please, sir, I hope yer sister ain't the wuss of it, sir."

"Not much, I hope; thank you for inquiring; but how come you to know
about the fire, and to be interested in my sister?"

"'Cause I was there, sir; an' it was _my brother_, sir, Frank Willders,
as saved your sister."

"Was it, indeed!" exclaimed Fred, becoming suddenly interested. "Come,
let me hear more about your brother."

Willie, nothing loth, related every fact he was acquainted with in
regard to Frank's career, and his own family history, in the course of
which he revealed the object of his visit to Mr Tippet. When he had
finished, Frederick Auberly shook hands with him and said:

"Now, Willie, go and deliver your note. If the application is
successful, well; but if it fails, or you don't like your work, just
call upon me, and I'll see what can be done for you."

"Yes, sir, and thankee," said Willie; "where did you say I was to call,
sir?"

"Call at--eh--ah--yes, my boy, call _here_, and let my friend Mr Barret
know you want to see me. He will let me know, and you shall hear from
me. Just at present--well, never mind, go and deliver your note now.
Your brother is a noble fellow. Good-night. And you're a fine little
fellow yourself," he added, after Willie closed the door.

The fine little fellow gave vent to such a gush of "Rule Britannia" at
the moment, that the two friends turned with a smile to each other.

Just then a man's voice was heard at the foot of the stair, grumbling