you joined
together and took a piece, could do the lot very reasonably indeed."

So, not only was I to be exposed before my employers to-morrow, but
meanwhile my movements were being watched, for fear I should run away, I
suppose.

"Jack," said I, as we walked along, "I believe you are right after all."

"How?" said Jack.

"The only thing to do is to tell the partners all about it, before
Shoddy comes to-morrow!"

"Well," said Jack, "I don't see it could be much worse than letting them
hear all about it from him."

With which consoling but desperate resolution we proceeded.

To beguile the time, we went round by Style Street.

A youth was standing having his boots blacked as we came up. We thought
we recognised the figure--though till he turned round we could not
recall his name. Then to our surprise we saw it was Flanagan.

But such a swell as he was! He had alarmed me more than once by the
grandeur of his attire when I had met him at the parties of the "usual
lot." I had seen him rarely since. As for Jack, the two had scarcely
met since they left Stonebridge House.

"Hullo, Batchelor," he cried, as we approached, "that you? I heard
you'd been ill, and--why, Smith," he broke out, catching sight of my
companion, "how are you? Haven't seen you for ages! And the rum thing
is I was speaking about you this very moment--wasn't I, kid?"

"Yaas," said Billy, with a grin.

"You know, Batchelor, you once introduced me to this young gentleman
when we were rolling home one night after a spree--fearfully slow
parties some of those!--and I've given him a job pretty often since--and
he was just telling me about you. Lodging Drury Lane way, I hear?"

"Yes," said I. There was something so genuine in the tone of my old
schoolfellow that I could almost forgive him his grand clothes.

"I say, couldn't you come along to my rooms to-night? I'm all by
myself. Jolly to talk over old days. Come on, Smith."

"Thanks," said Smith, who, I could see, felt half shy of this old
comrade, "but I have to work for an exam., and it's coming off now in a
week or two."

"Well, Batchelor, you come," said Flanagan.

I hesitated a moment, and then consented. The fact was, I suspected
Flanagan might possibly get his clothes made at Shoddy's. In which
case, as to all appearance he must be a good customer, he might, I
thought, use his influence with the tailor to prevent the threatened
visit to-morrow.

So I went with him,