lieved when it came to tea-time on the following day.
Raymond had announced his intention of walking home in the cool of the
evening, and Queen Mab proposed that his cousins should accompany him
part of the way.

They had walked about a mile, Jack and Helen being a little in advance
of the others, when the girl caught hold of her cousin's arm.

"Oh, look!" she said, "there's a man coming who's drunk."

"Never mind," answered Jack stoutly; "he won't interfere with us."

The man, who had reeled into the hedge, suddenly staggered back into
the middle of the road, and stood there barring the way.

"'Ello! Misser Fenleigh," he began, "'ow're you to-night, sir?"

Jack stared at the speaker in astonishment, and then recognized him as
the same man who had spoken to them in Melchester.

"Look here!" he said hotly. "I've told you twice I don't know you.
You just stand clear and let us pass."

By this time the remainder of the party had come up.

"Why, 'ere's Misser Fosbe'ton," continued the man, with a tipsy leer.
"Now I jus' ask you, sir, if these two gen'lemen don't owe me some
money for a drink."

Raymond's face flushed crimson, and then turned white.

"You've had too much already, Hanks," he said sharply; "just shut up,
and stand out of the road."

"Oh, no offence!" muttered the man, staggering aside to let the cousins
pass; "'nother time'll do jus' the same."

"Look here, Raymond, who is that fellow?" asked Valentine, as soon as
they had got out of earshot of the stranger, "Twice he's come up to us
in the street at Melchester, saying he knows us, and wanting money; and
the last time, old Westford saw us talking to him, and we got into a
beastly row, and were gated for a fortnight. Who is he?"

"Oh, he's a lazy blackguard called Ned Hanks; he's always poaching and
getting drunk. He never does any work, except now and then he collects
rags and bones, and sells them in Melchester."

"How does he know you?"

"He lives close to Grenford, and every one knows me there."

"But how does he know _us_?"

"I can't say. Haven't you ever seen him at Brenlands?"

"No, never."

"Well, I suppose he must have found out your name somehow; and he's
always cadging for money for a drink. Don't you trouble to come any
further. By-the-bye, next year I'm going to set up in diggings at
Melchester. I shall be articled to a solicitor there; and if you
fellows are still at the school, we might go out together."

"Confo