d read it, he appeared to look at me, expecting that I should
say something appropriate, or, at any rate, look awe-stricken. But it
was very funny to look at this long-faced, hungry-looking fellow,
pitching into his buttered toast, and associate him with the wickedness
set down to his account, so "Bless me!" was as much as I could possibly
manage.

"Yes, it is," said he; "but that's nothing. It's a dirty shame of them
to put a fellow in that type, and leave his initial out, too! But
that's all jealousy, you know. That's Barkins, that is! It's Barkins's
house, and Barkins's bill, and, hang it! it's all Barkins's!"

On referring a second time to the picture-bill, there, sure enough, I
found the name of Barkins flourishing in all sorts of type and in all
manner of places.

"Ah!" cried Mr Jones, finishing his coffee with one gulp, "it won't
always be so, that's one comfort! I've a chance here, sir,--one of a
thousand; and you'll see then whether I'm equal to it or not!"

"I'm sure you will be," I replied, not exactly knowing what else to say.
"You find your business rather hard work sometimes, don't you? and the
pay sometimes a little doubtful?" I added, after a pause.

"I wish it was _only_ a little," Mr Jones replied, with a woeful grin;
"but I get along, somehow--I keep alive, somehow; and it won't always be
so--not when I get my chance, you know!"

I really thought I ought to say something now, so I asked when he
expected the chance, and what it was.

"Ah, that's it!" said he. "Do you know you could be a good deal of
service to me, if you'd the time?"

"I've more time than money, worse luck!" I said. "I should be glad to
earn a trifle anyhow, and should be much obliged if you could point out
the how; but as to being of service to you, I'd gladly be that for
nothing."

You see, I had taken a good look at Mr Jones's ragged edges and glazed
elbows by this time, and had come to the conclusion that, even gambler
and roue as he was, he must have had about as much as he could do to
look after himself.

I was mistaken. Mr Jones had influence, though he might be short of
cash.

"If you're really hard up," he said, "I can put you onto a kind of job--
if you like it. They are doing `The Battle of Blenheim' at our place.
It'll be eighteenpence a night. You'll have to double the armies, and
be shot down at the end of every act. But it's all easy enough."

I thought this would suit me very well for the ti