It's all a lie," I said angrily, "about my coming home drunk, and all
that."

"I should rather hope it was," said my friend with a smile.

I was sufficiently uncomfortable, however, by the turn my fellow-
lodgers' wit was taking. Without meaning to deceive, I had somehow, in
my story to Jack, omitted all reference to my own extravagances, and
represented my dissipations more as contrivances to pass the time in my
friend's absence than congenial pleasures.

"Rum thing, too," continued Horncastle, who evidently saw I was not
liking it--"rum thing he's dropped those new ready-made togs of his and
his flash watch-chain. I wonder why--"

"Because they're not paid for," said another. "I know that, because I
was in Shoddy's shop to-day, and he asked me to tell Batchelor the
things were sold for ready money and no tick. Do you hear that,
Batchelor? that's what he says, and you'd better attend to it, I can
tell you."

Why need I have got myself into a rage over a suit of ready-made
clothes? It was surely no crime to possess them; and if I was owing the
amount it didn't follow I had anything to be ashamed of, as long as I
paid in the end. But I flushed up dreadfully, in a manner which Jack
could not help noticing, and replied, "You mind your own business--I'll
mind mine!"

"You'd better, my boy," was the reply. "Pyman, the pastrycook, was
asking most affectionately after you too. He says he hopes you won't
move without letting him know, as he'd like to call and--"

"Come on, Jack!" I cried, taking Jack's arm; "it's enough to make one
sick the way they talk."

And amid much laughter, and in no very amiable frame of mind, I quitted
my persecutors.

I made sure Jack would read me a lecture, or at any rate refer to the
subject which had caused me so much annoyance. He did neither.

"Lively lot they are," said he. "It's a wonder where they pick up all
their notions."

"They want to make you believe I've been up to all sorts of mischief
since you went away," I said.

Jack laughed.

"And they expect me to believe it," said he. "The best way with them is
to let them say what they like, and take no notice."

We went upstairs to bed, as the only place where we could enjoy one
another's society undisturbed.

As we were undressing. Jack took from his pocket a photograph, which he
showed to me.

"Fred," said he, "would you like to see a portrait of Mary?"

"Your sister?" said I, taking the picture. "Yes."