p.

"I know one or two that 'ad a liking for me," said Mr. Blows, almost
blushing.

"And to think that it's all a mistake," continued his wife. "But I
thought it was you; it was dressed like you, and your cap was found near
it."

"H'm," said Mr. Blows; "a pretty mess you've been and made of it. Here's
people been giving two pounds for wreaths and turning up with brass bands
and banners because they thought it was me, and it's all been wasted."

"It wasn't my fault," said his wife. "Little Billy Clements came running
'ome the day you went away and said 'e'd fallen in the water, and you'd
gone in and pulled 'im out. He said 'e thought you was drownded, and
when you didn't come 'ome I naturally thought so too. What else could I
think?"

Mr. Blows coughed, and holding his glass up to the light regarded it with
a preoccupied air.

"They dragged the river," resumed his wife, "and found the cap, but they
didn't find the body till nine weeks afterward. There was a inquest at
the Peal o' Bells, and I identified you, and all that grand funeral was
because they thought you'd lost your life saving little Billy. They said
you was a hero."

[Illustration: "'They dragged the river,' resumed his wife, 'and found
the cap.'"]

"You've made a nice mess of it," repeated Mr. Blows.

"The rector preached the sermon," continued his wife; "a beautiful sermon
it was, too. I wish you'd been there to hear it; I should 'ave enjoyed
it ever so much better. He said that nobody was more surprised than what
'e was at your doing such a thing, and that it only showed 'ow little we
knowed our fellow-creatures. He said that it proved there was good in
all of us if we only gave it a chance to come out."

Mr. Blows eyed her suspiciously, but she sat thinking and staring at the
floor.

"I s'pose we shall have to give the money back now," she said, at last.

"Money!" said the other; "what money?"

"Money that was collected for us," replied his wife. "One 'undered and
eighty-three pounds seven shillings and fourpence."

Mr. Blows took a long breath. "Ow much?" he said, faintly; "say it
agin."

His wife obeyed.

"Show it to me," said the other, in trembling tones; "let's 'ave a look
at it. Let's 'old some of it."

"I can't," was the reply; "there's a committee of the Camels took charge
of it, and they pay my rent and allow me ten shillings a week. Now I
s'pose it'll have to be given back?"

"Don't you talk nonsense," said