d him graciously, and then, with a wave of his hand
toward the sky, sought to attract his attention to the ships there.

"Yes," said the unconscious Mr. Silk, sign of a fine day to-morrow.
"Are you going my way?"

Mr. Wilks smiled, and detaching himself from the tavern with some
difficulty just saved Mr. Silk from a terrible fall by clutching him
forcibly round the neck. The ingratitude of Mr. Silk was a rebuff to a
nature which was at that moment overflowing with good will. For a moment
the steward was half inclined to let him go home alone, but the
reflection that he would never get there softened him.

"Pull yourself t'gether," he said, gravely, "Now, 'old on me."

The road, as they walked, rose up in imitation of the shipping, but Mr.
Wilks knew now the explanation: Teddy Silk was intoxicated. Very gently
he leaned towards the erring youth and wagged his head at him.

"Are you going to hold up or aren't you?" demanded Mr. Silk, shortly.

The steward waived the question; he knew from experience the futility of
arguing with men in drink. The great thing was to get Teddy Silk home,
not to argue with him. He smiled good-temperedly to himself, and with a
sudden movement pinned him up against the wall in time to arrest another`
fall.

[Illustration: "The great thing was to get Teddy Silk home."]

With frequent halts by the way, during which the shortness of Mr. Silk's
temper furnished Mr. Wilks with the texts of several sermons, none of
which he finished, they at last reached Fullalove Alley, and the steward,
with a brief exhortation to his charge to hold his head up, bore down on
Mrs. Silk, who was sitting in her doorway.

"I've brought 'im 'ome," he said, steadying himself against the doorpost;
"brought 'im 'ome."

"Brought 'im 'ome?" said the bewildered Mrs. Silk.

"Don' say anything to 'im," entreated Mr. Wilks, "my sake. Thing might
'appen anybody."

"He's been like that all the way," said Mr. Silk, regarding the steward
with much disfavour. "I don't know why I troubled about him, I'm sure."

"Crowd roun 'im," pursued the imaginative Mr. Wilks. "'Old up, Teddy."

"I'm sure it's very kind of you, Mr. Wilks," said the widow, as she
glanced at a little knot of neighbours standing near. "Will you come
inside for a minute or two?"

She moved the chair to let him pass, and Mr. Wilks, still keeping the
restraining hand of age on the shoulder of intemperate youth, passed in
and stood, smiling amiabl