"Spoken like a little man," said Wild Charley. "I have spoken to the steward, and he says he will always give you a passage back to America." "That's good, and I'm much obliged to you." "Mrs. Stocker has also mentioned your name," continued Charley. "She is grateful to you for that affair of Miss Jones' dog." "Yes, she said she'd be a friend to me." "If you like to be her attendant and look after her baggage, she says she will take you along." "That will suit me first rate." "Very well. You can see her at the Adelphi Hotel, where she stays three days; but at present I want you to do something for me." "You have only to name it. I'm sure, after your kindness, there is nothing I could refuse you," replied Tommy, warmly. "It is a mere trifle. I've got a lot of tobacco in cakes, which I would like to have you conceal about your body." "What for?" "To avoid paying duty to the custom house," replied Wild Charley. "That would be smuggling." "Of course it would, but there is no harm in it." "It's against the laws, and if I'm found out I shall be put in prison for it." "Oh, no," replied Charley, "there is no harm in it. They're not very strict, and if you were tumbled to, I should be the principal sufferer." "Why?" "Because I should lose all my tobacco, which would be forfeited to the customs." Tommy hesitated. Looking critically at him with his keen, selfish, blue eyes, Charley added: "I didn't think you would make any difficulty about such a little thing after the friend I've been to you." "But----" "Oh, if you're so awful mean, say no more about it. I'm tired of roughing it, and intend to go home. My only idea in smuggling the tobacco was that I should have a little spending money when I reached home, and not look poor." "Are your friends well off?" "Tolerably. Father is a professor, and keeps quite a fashionable boarding school for young gentlemen in London." "And you mean to go back?" "Yes. I'll return to Greek and algebra, and learn all I can. Seeing the world is all very well, but it doesn't pay when you can do better at home," answered Wild Charley. "That's so," answered Tommy, still hesitating. "Come, don't keep me waiting for your reply all day. Say yes or no," answered Wild Charley, impatiently. "Yes." Tommy had consented in his soft way to do what his better judgment told him might get him into trouble. Lest he should have time for his decision to cool, he was called by Charley into their cabin and literally stuffed with bags containing thin, flat cakes of tightly pressed tobacco. The duty on this tobacco is four shillings and six pence per pound, with five per cent. added, and when we say that Tommy was loaded or padded with over half a hundredweight, it can be imagined that he was smuggling on a large scale. Wild Charley sewed the bags with a needle and thread to the lining of his pants, vest and coat, giving him a large pilot jacket to wear over all.