"Did she, though?" said Dick. "Well, 'ang me if I ever liked her, with her twissened eyes, till now; but that was a good one. Hopper, Max spent all that poor gal's money, which was hard on her. Could you get to let her have a hundred pounds if I give you a cheque? You can come those dodges of sending money on the sly most artfully." Hopper chuckled as Dick poked him in the side with his pipe-stem. "No, no, no, Dick, they are in America by now; and Fred will be better without money. Make him work." He began to refill his pipe as he spoke. "I never could make out how it was he got off so easily to America. The police wasn't half sharp; but it was a good job. How about the extra tradition, as they called it?" "Hey? Extradition?" said Hopper. "Ha! there was a reason for that." He opened his pocket-book, took out a slip of blue paper, folded it, and, striking a match, lit the paper and held it to his pipe. "I say," said Dick, "what's that you're burning?" "An old bill," was the reply--"I'm using 'em up by degrees." "An old bill?" said Dick; for Hopper looked at him curiously. "Yes," said Hopper, "I've done a deal in bills. This is one of ten--of Fred's: I bought 'em--for his grandmother's sake," he added softly. Dick stretched out his hand, grasped the other's, and then turned his chair to have a look at a ship in the offing, which seemed quite blurred. "Pick! Dick!" screamed Mrs Shingle. "Yes, yes--what?" he cried, starting up and running in, to find Jessie lying white as ashes in her mother's arms. "Quick!" cried Mrs Shingle; "tell--tell the doctor--this is the second time to-day! Dick--Dick!" she cried passionately, "she's dying!" Old Hopper was the most active of the party; and long before the doctor could be brought Jessie had revived, but only to lie back listlessly, gazing out to sea; while, when the medical man left, it was with a solemn shake of the head, which sent a chill to the hearts of Dick and his spouse. They had been sitting by their child for about an hour, when old Hopper came in, and stood looking down at her in a quiet, unsympathising way. "I've come to say good-bye," he said roughly. "Good-bye?" said Dick. "Why, you only came yesterday!" "I know, but I'm no good here. Good-bye, my girl. I wish you better." She half raised her head to kiss him, and the old man bent down and pressed his lips to hers very tenderly, before leaving the room, closely followed by Dick. "I know it's a dreary place to come to, Hopper," he said; "and we've only had one tune-up together; but when she's--better--Hopper, old man, if I wrote and asked Tom to come, would it be wrong?" "Hey? Wrong? Yes. Don't do anything of the sort. Hey? What's that?" "Only a letter for Max. I hear he's laid up. Don't let him know who sent it--that's all." The old man nodded, and held out his hand. "Do you know why I'm going in such a hurry?" he whispered. "No," was the reply.