aid Mannix, "and something that will do for
a bandage."

The attendant, with a glance at the cook, compromised the matter. He
brought a basin full of lukewarm water and a table napkin. The cook
wrapped the soaked napkin round the ankle. The ticket-collector tied it
in its place with a piece of string. The attendant coaxed the sock over
the bulky bandage. The new brown boot could by no means be persuaded to
go on. It was packed by the attendant in the kit bag.

"It's my opinion," said the ticket-collector, "that you'd get damages
out of the steamboat company if you was to process them."

Mannix did not want to attack the steamboat company. He felt vindictive,
but his anger was all di-rected against the man who had injured him.

"There was a fellow I knew one time," said the ticket-collector, "that
got L200 out of this company, and he wasn't as bad as you nor near it."

"I remember that well," said the attendant "It was his elbow he
dislocated, and him getting out at the wrong side of the carriage."

"He'd have got more," said the ticket-collector. "He'd have got L500
instead of L200 if so be he'd have gone into the court, but that's what
he couldn't do, by reason of the fact that he happened to be travelling
without a ticket when the accident came on him."

He gazed thoughtfully out of the window as he spoke.

"It might have been that," said the attendant, "which was the cause of
his getting out at the wrong side of the carriage."

"He tried it," said the ticket-collector, still looking straight in
front of him, "because he hadn't a ticket."

No one spoke for a minute. The story of the fraudulent traveller who
secured L200 in damages was an affecting one. At length the cook broke
the silence.

"The young gentleman here," he said, "has his ticket right enough
surely."

"He may have," said the ticket-collector.

"I have," said Mannix, fumbling in his pocket "Here it is."

"I'm obliged to you," said the ticket-collector. "It was it I wanted to
see."

"Then why didn't you ask me for it?" said Mannix.

"He wouldn't do the like," said the attendant, "and you with maybe a
broken leg."

"I would not," said the ticket-collector. "It would be a queer thing for
me to be bothering you about a ticket, and me just after tying a bit of
cord round as nasty a leg as ever I seen."

"But when you wanted to see the ticket--" said Mannix.

"I drew down the subject of tickets," said the collector, "the way you'd
offer