,' cried Hawke,
finishing off the other's malt. 'Waiter, fetch me some cold oysters, and
score them to these gentlemen,' said he, gayly, taking his place
amongst us. And so we chaffed away, about one thing or another, each one
contributing some lucky or unlucky hit that had befallen him; but Hawke
always bringing up how he had succeeded here, and what he had won there,
and only vexed if any one reminded him that he had been ever 'let in' in
his life.

"'Look here,' cried he, at last; 'ye're an uncommon seedy lot, very much
out at elbows, and so I 'll do you a generous turn. I 'll take ye all
over to my cottage at Jersey for a week, house and grub you, and then
turn you loose on the island, to do your wicked will with it.'

"'We take your offer--we say, Done!' cried Collins.

"'I should think you do! You've been sleeping under the colonnade of the
Haymarket these last three nights,' said he to Collins, 'for want of a
lodging. There's Towers chuckling over the thought of having false keys
to all my locks; and Master Paul, yonder,' said he, grinning at me, 'is
in love with my wife. Don't deny it, man; I broke open her writing-desk
t' other day, and read all your letters to her; but I'm a generous dog;
and, what's better,' added he, with an insolent laugh, 'one as bites,
too--eh, Paul?--don't forget that.'

"'Do you mean the invitation to be real and _bona fide?_' growled out
Towers; 'for I 'm in no jesting humor.'

"'I do,' said Hawke, flourishing out a handful of banknotes; 'there's
enough here to feed five tiroes as many blacklegs; and more costly
guests a man can't have.'

"'You'll go, won't you?' said Collins, to me, as we walked home together
afterwards.

"'Well,' said I, doubtingly, 'I don't exactly see my way.'

"'By Jove!' cried he, 'you _are_ afraid of him.'

"'Not a bit,' said I, impatiently. 'I 'm well acquainted with his
boastful habit: he's not so dangerous as he 'd have us to believe.'

"'But will you go?--that's the question,' said he, more eagerly.

"'Why are you so anxious to know?' asked I, again.

"'I 'll be frank with you,' said he, in a low, confidential tone.
'Towers wants to be certain of one thing. Mind, now,' added be, 'I 'm
sworn to secrecy, and I 'm telling you now what I solemnly swore never
to reveal; so don't betray me, Paul. Give me your hand on it.' And I
gave him my hand.

"Even after I had given him this pledge, he seemed to have become
timorous, and for a few minutes he fa