familiar. Eventually the angry tones of the
woman ceased, and presently she returned to us, quiet in her manner,
though still hunted-looking and mistrustful.

To our relief she was alone.

"I'm coming for him in the morning," said she as she passed us.

We could never make out how Jack had subdued her and put her off. When
we asked him, he said simply he begged her to wait a little, at any
rate, till the boy was better, and had then promised to bring him home
himself.

That night I shared Mr Smith's room--or rather I occupied it during his
absence, leaving Jack and Billy in possession upstairs.

My reflections during the night were not pleasant. If it had not been
for my folly, my sin, in times past, the calamity of this evening would
never have happened. These "friends" of former days were not to be
shaken off as easily as they had been picked up, and meanwhile it was
not I who was made to suffer, but Jack and Billy, who had never been
guilty of my follies and sins. And, more than this, I felt the burden
of Mr Smith's secret still hanging unrelieved on my mind. And how was
I to get rid of it and tell. Jack all, while this anxiety about Billy
lasted?

In the early morning Mr Smith returned, and I confided to him all my
troubles. He was very sympathetic, and agreed with me that the present
was hardly the time to tell Jack his secret. And yet it was plain to
see he was in terrible suspense till it should be all over.

We did not sleep much that night, and in the morning hastened to the
room above. To our relief, we found Billy much better. He was even
grinning as usual as we entered, and greeted us both in very like his
old familiar way.

"What cheer!" said he, feebly but cheerily. "I _are_ got a dose off
that there Mashing! He do give yer toppers!"

"Come, hush, Billy!" said Jack, pleasantly; "didn't I tell you not to
talk?"

"Yaas," said the boy, relapsing abruptly into silence.

His mother, as we rather anticipated, did not put in an appearance. My
uncle did, and, after ascertaining that all was going on well, went off,
leaving, greatly to my astonishment and not a little to my
gratification, a sovereign in my hand as he said good-bye.

There was something kindly about my uncle, after all!

Leaving Mr Smith in charge, Jack and I went down to the office that
morning with lighter hearts than we had expected to have.

Crow was waiting for us outside the office, with an anxious face.

"I sa