r Speevin," asked David, as they walked along
the streets together, "that _ye_ can gang safely amang the thieves
withoot a polisman t' proteck ye?"

"Oh, as to that," replied the jolly landlord, "I'm connected with a
religious society which sends agents down among them poor houtcasts to
convert 'em. They hall knows me, bless you. But I ain't a-goin' with
you myself. You see, I'm a very busy man, and engagements which I 'ad
forgotten prevents me, but I've made an arrangement with one o' the
converted thieves to take you to a few of the worst places in London.
Of course he can pass you hevery where as one of his friends."

To this David made no reply, save with a slight "Humph!" as he looked
earnestly at his companion. But Mr Spivin wore an expression of
seraphic candour.

"Here he is," added the landlord, as they turned a corner and drew near
to a man in mean attire, who seemed to be waiting for some one. "He's
rather disreputable to look at, only just been converted, an' not 'avin'
'ad the chance yet to better himself.--But--hallo!--you seem to know
him."

The last exclamation and remark were called forth by the look of
surprise on Laidlaw's face, and the air almost of alarm on that of the
mean-looking man--alarm which was by no means unnatural, seeing that he
was none other than the fellow who had attempted to rob our Scotsman the
previous night.

David, however, was quick to recover himself. "Know him!" he cried,
with a hearty laugh, "ay, I ken him weel. I lent him a helpin' haund
last nicht, no' far frae here."

"Surely he was not beggin'?" exclaimed Mr Spivin in tones of virtuous
reproof, "for a noo convert to go a-beggin', you know, would be
houtrageous!"

"Na, na," answered David, with a quiet and somewhat cynical smile, "he
wasna beggin', puir lad, but I took peety on 'im, an' gee'd 'im some
bawbees. So this is yer new convert, is he? an' he's to be my guide?
He'll do. He'll do. Sae I'll bid ye guid-nicht, Mr Speevin."

As the Scot held out his hand in a very decided manner the landlord was
obliged to depart without further enlightenment, after cautioning the
"converted" thief to take good care of his friend.

When he was gone the Scotsman and the ex-convict stood looking silently
at each other, the first with an earnest yet half-sarcastic smile, the
other with a mingled expression of reckless amusement, in which,
however, there was a trace of anxiety.

"Weel noo," said the former, "aren't