."

"All right, sir."

"What's your name?" asked the inebriate, as he sank into a large
armchair near the window.

"Leonard Craig."

"Never heard the name before."

"What's your name, sir?"

"What you want to know for?" asked the other, cunningly.

"The landlord will want to put it on his book."

"My name? Phil Stark."

"Philip Stark?"

"Yes; who told you?"

It will be seen that Mr. Stark was not yet quite himself.

"You told me yourself."

"So I did--'scuse me."

"Certainly, sir. By the way, you told me you would pay me a dollar for
bringing you to the hotel."

"So I did. Take it," and Philip Stark passed the wallet to Leonard.

Leonard felt tempted to take a two-dollar bill instead of a one, as Mr.
Stark would hardly notice the mistake. Still, he might ask to look at
the bill, and that would be awkward. So the boy contented himself with
the sum promised.

"Thank you, sir," he said, as he slipped the bill into his vest pocket.
"Do you want some supper?"

"No, I want to sleep."

"Then you had better lie down on the bed. Will you undress?"

"No; too much trouble."

Mr. Stark rose from the armchair, and, lurching round to the bed, flung
himself on it.

"I suppose you don't want me any longer," said Leonard.

"No. Come round to-morrer."

"Yes, sir."

Leonard opened the door and left the room. He resolved to keep the
appointment, and come round the next day. Who knew but some more of Mr.
Stark's money might come into his hands? Grown man as he was, he seemed
to need a guardian, and Leonard was willing to act as such--for a
consideration.

"It's been a queer adventure!" thought Leonard, as he slowly bent his
steps towards his uncle's house. "I've made a dollar out of it, anyway,
and if he hadn't happened to wake up just as he did I might have done
better. However, it may turn out as well in the end."

"You are rather late, Leonard," said his uncle, in a tone that betrayed
some irritation. "I wanted to send you on an errand, and you are always
out of the way at such a time."

"I'll go now," said Leonard, with unusual amiability. "I've had a little
adventure."

"An adventure! What is it?" Mr. Gibbon asked, with curiosity.

Leonard proceeded to give an account of his finding the inebriate in
the meadow, and his guiding him to the hotel. It may readily be supposed
that he said nothing of his attempt to appropriate a part of the
contents of the wallet.

"What was his name?" asked Gibbo