of his head, a cane in his hand, and a pipe, the bowl as big
as an egg-cup, in his mouth.

"I say, look here, Mrs Nash," said he, in a sleepy sort of voice; "why
wasn't I called this morning?"

"So you was," said Mrs Nash.

"No, I wasn't," drawled the youth.

"That's what you say," observed the landlady. "I say you was; I called
you myself."

"Then you ought to have knocked louder. How do you suppose a fellow who
was out at a party overnight is to hear you unless you knock hard? I
shall be late at the office, all through you."

Mrs Nash said "Shut up!" and the youth said "Shan't shut up!" and Mrs
Nash inquired why, if he was late, he did not go off instead of dawdling
about there, like a gentleman?

This taunt seemed to incense the youth, who put his nose in the air and
walked out without another word.

"There," said Mrs Nash, pointing to his retreating form, "you'd best
follow him; he's going to the City, the beauty."

I took the hint, and keeping "the beauty" at a respectful distance,
followed in his lordly wake for about twenty minutes, until the rapidly-
crowding streets told me I was in the City. Then, uncertain how to
direct my steps, I quickened my pace and overtook him.

"Please can you tell me the way to Hawk Street?"

He took two or three good puffs out of his big pipe, and blew the smoke
gracefully out of the corners of his mouth, and, by way of variety, out
of his nose, and then said, in a condescending voice, "Yes, my man;
first to the left and second to the right."

He certainly was a very self-assured young man, and struck me as quite
grand in his manners. I had positively to screw up my courage to ask
him, "I say, you are one of Mrs Nash's lodgers, aren't you?"

He stared at me, not quite sure what to make of me.

"Only," said I, by way of explanation, "I saw you there just now, and
Mrs Nash said I'd better follow you."

"Mrs Nash is a jolly sight too familiar. So are you."

With which the stately youth marched on, his nose higher in the air than
ever.

I was not greatly reassured by this first introduction, but for the time
being I was too intent on reaching Merrett, Barnacle, and Company's in
good time to think of much beside. Fortunately my fellow-lodger's
direction was correct, and in a few minutes I found myself standing on
familiar ground in Hawk Street.

When I entered the office the youth who rejoiced in the name of Crow was
the only representative of the firm presen