mused at the thought of cooking and catering for himself, said
boldly that he should soon learn.

"You are a very young gentleman," the landlady said, eyeing him
doubtfully, "to be setting up on your own hook. I mean," she said,
seeing Frank look puzzled, "setting up housekeeping on your own account.
You will have to be particular careful with the frying pan, because
if you were to upset the fat in the fire you might have the house in a
blaze in a jiffey."

Frank said that he would certainly be careful with the frying pan.

"Well," she went on, "as you're a stranger to the place I don't know
as you could do better than get your tea, and sugar, and things at the
grocer's at the next corner. I deals there myself, and he gives every
satisfaction. My baker will be round in a few minutes, and, if you
likes, I can take in your bread for you. The same with milk."

These matters being arranged, and Frank agreeing at once to the
proposition that as he was a stranger it would make things more
comfortable were he to pay his rent in advance, found himself alone in
his new apartment. It was a room about ten feet square. The bed occupied
one corner, with the washstand at its foot. There was a small table in
front of the fireplace, and two chairs; a piece of carpet half covered
the floor, and these with the addition of the articles in the cupboard
constituted the furniture of the room. Feeling hungry after his journey
Frank resolved to go out at once and get something to eat, and then
to lay in a stock of provisions. After some hesitation regarding the
character of the meal he decided upon two Bath buns, determining to make
a substantial tea. He laid in a supply of tea, sugar, butter, and salt,
bought a little kettle, a frying pan, and a gridiron. Then he hesitated
as to whether he should venture upon a mutton chop or some bacon,
deciding finally in favor of the latter, upon the reflection that any
fellow could see whether bacon were properly frizzled up, while as to
a chop there was no seeing anything about it till one cut it. He,
therefore, invested in a pound of prime streaky Wiltshire bacon,
the very best, as the shopman informed him, that could be bought. He
returned carrying all his purchases, with the exception of the hardware.
Then he inquired of his landlady where he could get coal.

"The green grocer's round the corner," the landlady said. "Tell him to
send in a hundredweight of the best, that's a shilling, and you'll wa