"So it appears, indeed!" cried Richard bitterly. "Silence, I say. Don't interfere, there's a good lad. Crisp, have you got it all down?" "Yes, sir." "Lock 'em up, then." "At least we shall be together!" exclaimed the unfortunate mother, to whom the three little children clung with all the tenacity of sincere affection. An hour elapsed, when another policeman entered, bringing in a man dressed as an ostler, and whose face was all covered with blood. "Well--what now?" "Fighting in the _Blue Dragon_: the landlord turned him out, and so I took him up." "Put that down, Crisp. What's your name, my fine fellow?" "John Snoggles." "Put that down, Crisp. He's a nice bird, isn't he, Mr. Markham?" added the inspector. "Markham!" ejaculated the new prisoner. "Yes--that is my name," said Richard: "do you know me?" "Not that I am aweer of sir. Only the name reminded me that I have been this evening in the company of a gentleman as is in the service of a Mr. Markham. I left the _Servants' Arms_ at twelve precisely, and walked straight down to this here wicinity--I ain't been more than half an hour coming--when I gets into a row----" "Well, well," said Richard, somewhat impatiently "and what is the name of the person with whom you have passed the evening?" "With several gentlemen--but the one I named was Vittingham." "Whittingham! he is my butler. Poor fellow! how anxious he will be about me." "He's too drunk to be anxious," said Snoggles drily: "I was the on'y one as come away sober." "I tell you what he could do, if you like," observed the inspector, who now began to entertain an idea of Markham's standing in society by the mention of the word _butler_: "there is no one here to make any charge against the fellow--the constable will withdraw it, and he can take a note home for you." "A thousand thanks!" ejaculated Markham. "But you intimated that he was tipsy?" "He is certainly elevated," answered Snoggles. "Well, can you be at my house to-morrow morning by six or seven o'clock?" "Of course I can, sir." "I need not write: you can say that you have seen me, and that I shall be home in the course of the day. Do not mention where I am: I would not have him coming here to seek me." Markham slipped half a sovereign into the hands of Snoggles, who took his departure with a faithful promise to execute the commission entrusted to him, and not a little pleased at having so pleasantly escaped a night in the station-house. It was now past one o'clock; and Markham, feeling rather drowsy, lay down to slumber for a few hours upon a bench, wrapped up in Mr. Crisp's police-coat. CHAPTER XV. THE POLICE-OFFICE. The morning was rainy, cold, and lowering.