h
we could afford to have her.'

'Afford, indeed! Her wages are about a quarter of your salary, sir!
And after all, 'tis not the nurse that guards the child, as we have
seen only too plainly.'

'Do you think he is alive, Nan?'

'I begin to think not. He is not so young but that he could make
himself known, and those advertisements are so widely spread. I am
sure poor Nuttie would be more at rest if she could give up hope.'

'I did not tell you before, Nan, but Dutton was going to-day to look at
a poor little unclaimed child's body that had been found in the Thames.
He knew him better than I, so he went.'

'He would have come if--' said Annaple.

'Assuredly. He meant to fetch nurse if he had any doubt, but
afterwards he was going to his court about his rents. He always does
that on Saturday evenings.'

Mr. Dutton himself opened his door to the pair.

'Well,' said Mark.

'Certainly not. The poor child was evidently much younger, and had red
hair. But look here,' and he held out a battered something, black with
a white stripe. Mark understood nothing, but Annaple exclaimed, 'Is it
his ship?'

'Yes, I could swear to it, for see,' and he pointed to some grimed,
almost effaced, but still legible capitals, which, however, scarcely
any one but himself could have read as "Ursula." 'I guided his hand to
make those the evening before he was lost,' said Mr. Dutton.

'Dear little man! And where did you find it?'

'Where I never thought of doing so! On the bed of a little crippled
boy in the next court to mine. He is rather a friend of mine, and I
turned in to take him some strawberries. I found him hugging this.'

'How did he get it?'

'Our "Liz" brought it to him. Our "Liz" is a very wild specimen, who
has spent her life in eluding the school board officer till she is too
old for his clutches; but she has a soft spot in her heart for her
little brother, and I believe another for Gerard Godfrey. We must be
very cautious, and not excite any alarm, or we shall be baffled
altogether. I am not sure that I did quite prudently in giving little
Alf a fresh boat in exchange for this; but I could not help bringing it
home.'

'You did not see the girl?'

'No. Those girls wander long and late on these hot nights, and I do
not think I could have got anything out of her. I have been to Gerard
Godfrey, and the next step must be left to him.'

'The next question is whether you will tell those poor things at