rience. But look ye here, Miles, I've took a fancy to you, an' I'd
be sorry to think you was in difficulties. If," he continued, thrusting
a hand into his breeches-pocket, and bringing up therefrom a mass of
mixed gold, silver, and copper--"if you don't objec' to accep' of a loan
of--"

"Thank you--no, my friend. It is very kind of you," said Miles quickly;
"but I have quite enough for present necessities. So good-night."

"All right," returned the sailor, thrusting the money back into his
pocket. "But if you should ever want a jaw with Jack Molloy while
you're in this here port you've only got to hail him at the _Sailors'
Welcome_, an' if he should happen to be out, they always can tell you
where he's cruisin'. Good-night, an' luck go wi' ye!"

Another tremendous yawn finished the speech, and next moment Miles found
himself in the street, oppressed with a strange and miserable sensation
which he had never before experienced. Indeed, he had to lean against
the house for a few minutes after coming out into the fresh air, and
felt as if the power of connected thought was leaving him.

He was aroused from this condition by the flashing of a light in his
eyes. Opening them wide, he beheld a policeman looking at him
earnestly.

"Now, then, young fellow," said the guardian of the night; "d'you think
you can take care of yourself?"

"Oh! yes, quite well. It's only a giddy feeling that came over me. I'm
all right," said Miles, rousing himself and passing on.

He staggered slightly, however, and a short "Humph!" from the policeman
showed that he believed the youth to be something more than giddy.

Ashamed to be even unjustly supposed to be intoxicated, Miles hurried
away, wondering very much what could be the matter with him, for he had
not tasted a drop of strong drink, except the half-glass of beer he had
swallowed before Molloy chanced to knock it out of his hand. Suddenly
he remembered that the sailor had said the beer was drugged. If he
could have asked the barman who had served him, that worthy could have
told him that this was true; that the whole glassful, if swallowed,
would, ere long, have rendered him insensible, and that what he had
already taken was enough to do him considerable damage.

As he walked onward, he became rapidly worse; the people and the streets
seemed to swim before him; an intense desire to sleep overpowered every
other feeling, and at last, turning into a dark entry, he lay down