"Come in; I see you!" called out the little man. "I've been wondering what had become of you all this time. I thought you'd gone to stay with some swell in the country for the hunting-season. I was goin' to ask if they had got your address at the _Morning-Post_ office, that I might write you a line and see if you could find it convenient to lend me a trifle." "You must be in luck to have such spirits, D'Ossay,--you must," said Mr. Griffiths sententiously. "Out of collar and out at elbows--that's what I've been out of. Look at my coat," pointing to his arms; "shining like bees-wax. Look at my crabshells," pointing to his boots; "as leaky as an old punt, reg'larly wore down to the sewin', and all through elberin' and cadgin' my way into every crib where I thought there was a chance of my comin' at what we wanted to know." "And what good have you done with all that tremenduous exertion?" "No good,--not a scrap. I suppose you've been at the same game? How have you got on?" "About the same as you have. Just as 'ealthy my lookout is." "Well, I'll tell you what I intend to do. I've worked high and low, here and there, like a blessed black slave, to find out where this gal is, and I've had no luck no more than you have. And I intend to cut it. I'm sick of all this dodgin' and divin', and askin' everybody after somebody that nobody knows. I intend to cut it. That's what I intend!" "And let it go altogether, after all the trouble we've had; after-- Not such a flat, Griffiths; don't you fear. Look here, my boy," said Mr. Butler, putting his hand into his waistcoat-pocket, and producing therefrom two sovereigns; "do you see that couple of quid? That, with a shilling and a fourpenny bit, is all that remains to your friend D'Ossay of the current coin of this realm--the real business, I mean, and no fakement. But these two simple skivs shall be turned into fifty or a hundred before the end of the week. And to show you that I'm not boasting, I'll stand a drink. Here, waiter!--brandy hot, two!" Mr. Griffiths gazed in double admiration at his friend's generosity and pluck; but low as he was, he really admired the latter, from which he might possibly derive ultimate benefit, more than the former, from which he was about to receive immediate advantage. After the first sip of his grog he said-- "And how's it coming off?" "I don't mind telling you," said D'Ossay. "There's nothing to hide--why should there be? I'm going to try it on again with our friend the Bart." "Without the bill?" "Of course, without the bill, considering that neither you nor I have been able to get hold of it. But didn't I raise a fiftier out of him without the bill before, and why shouldn't I do that, or double that, now?" "Ah, why indeed?" said Mr. Griffiths, who always coincided when he did not know what else to do, and there was nothing to lose by so doing.