ason of this reversal of the order of things we could not
say, and did not much care. Indeed, it was rather a relief to see the
mild senior partner instead of the sharp-eyed junior, who was, some of
us thought, far too quick to perceive anything amiss. Jack's face
brightened as much as any one's at the circumstance. For a moment he
forgot all his wrath, and thought only of his poor sister.

He followed Mr Merrett quickly to the door of the partners' room and
said eagerly, "May I speak to you a moment, sir?"

"Yes, my man; come in," was the encouraging reply.

"Gone to tell tales, I suppose," said Crow, as the door closed on the
two.

"No, he's not," said I, ready to take up the gauntlet for my friend;
"and you'd better not say it again!"

"Oh, I say! Look here," said Doubleday, "don't _you_ begin at that
game, young shaver! We're used to it from your chum bull's-eye, but I'm
not going to let you start at it. Besides, Crow wouldn't like it. Get
on with your work, do you hear?"

Jack reappeared in a minute with a grateful face, which showed at once
that his application had been successful.

"Good-bye," said he, coming to my desk; "I'll send you a line;" and
without another word to any one he was gone.

"He's a cool fish, that friend of yours!" said Doubleday, that afternoon
to me. "He seems to get on pretty much as he likes."

"He's awfully cut up about his sister," I said. "Poor Jack!"

"No harm in that!" said Doubleday, condescendingly. "I thought he was
quite right to walk into that cad Wallop myself. But he'll find it
rather hot for him when he gets back, I fancy. When's he coming back?"

"In a day or two, I suppose," said I.

"And you'll be mighty disconsolate, I suppose," said Doubleday, "till he
returns? What do you say to coming up to my lodgings to-night, eh,
young 'un, to see me?"

I felt very grateful for this unlooked-for honour, and said I would be
delighted to come.

"All serene! I've asked one or two of the fellows up, so we'll have a
jolly evening. By the way, when you go out get me a couple of boxes of
sardines, will you, and a dozen twopenny cigars?"

I executed these commissions, and in due time, business being ended,
Doubleday and I and Crow, and the sardines and the cigars, started in a
body for Cork Place, where, in a first-floor front, the estimable Mr
Doubleday was wont to pitch his daily tent.

They were cosy quarters, and contrasted in a marked manner with Beadle