ked.

"No," replied Slidder; "a Mrs Willis don't live here, but _the_ Mrs
Willis--the on'y one vurth speakin' of--does."

"Ah!" replied the man, with a smile--for he was an amiable footman--"and
I suppose you are young Slidder?"

"I am _Mister_ Slidder, sir! And I would 'ave you remember," said the
urchin, with dignity, "that every Englishman's 'ouse is his castle, and
that neither imperence nor flunkies 'as a right to enter."

"Indeed!" exclaimed the man, with affected surprise, "then I'm afraid
this castle can't be a strong one, or it ain't well guarded, for
`Imperence' got into it somehow when _you_ entered."

"Good, good!" returned the boy, with the air of a connoisseur; "that's
worthy of the East End. You should 'ave bin one of us.--Now then, old
six-foot! wot's your business?"

"To deliver this parcel."

"'And it over, then."

"But I am also to see Mrs Willis, and ask how she is."

"Walk in, then, an' wipe your feet. We ain't got a door-mat to-day.
It's a-comin', like Christmas; but you may use the boards in the
meantime."

The footman turned out to be a pleasant, gossipy man, and soon won the
hearts of old Mrs Willis and her young guardian. He had been sent, he
said, by a Dr McTougall with a parcel containing wine, tea, sugar,
rice, and a few other articles of food, and with a message that the
doctor would call and see Mrs Willis that afternoon.

"Deary me, that's very kind," said the old woman; "but I wonder why he
sent such things to me, and who told him I was in want of 'em?"

"It was a young gentleman who rescued most of the doctor's family from a
fire last night. His name, I believe, is Mellon--"

"Wot! Doctor John Mellon?" exclaimed Slidder, with widening eyes.

"Whether he's John or doctor I cannot tell. All I know is that he's
_Mister_ Mellon, and he's bin rather knocked up by--But, bless me, I
forgot: I was to say nothing about the--the fire till Dr McTougall had
seen you. How stoopid of me; but things _will_ slip out!"

He stopped abruptly, and placed his brown paper parcel on the bed.

"Now, I say, look here, Mister Six-foot or wotever's your name," said
Slidder, with intense eagerness. "It's of no use your tyin' up the
mouth o' the bag now. The cat's got out an' can't be got in again by no
manner o' means. Just make a clean breast of it, an' tell it all out
like a man,--there's a good feller! If you don't, I'll tell Dr
McTougall that you gave me an' the old lady a full,