“I knew a seedy ‘enemy’ of mine who had gone to house-breaking about that time. He wanted me to join him in the venture. But he little dreamed how much I hated him. I’ll tell you all about it one of these days; but as time is now short, I shall only say that I ‘split’ on him, and my respectable appearance in the witness-box got him transported for life. That’s how I generally pay off old scores with ‘lads’ who don’t act always on the square. After that I was appointed one of the Crown officers, and have been so ever since. I knew the chap at school, and hated him, and always swore to have him hung if I could; but let us go in here—here is a wine shop, let’s have a bottle together,” said Captain Jack, with a wicked smile. “That reminds me of something that happened to me at school. It was the first ‘clever’ thing I ever did,” said Phillip, drinking a long draught of good wine. “Indeed,” said Captain Jack, laughing. “I didn’t think you ever had done anything clever except that affair of old Bertram.” “Hus—s—sh!” said Phillip, turning pale; “don’t mention that.” “You’d have been in a gibbet only for me,” said Captain Jack. “Perhaps; but I bought your silence.” “Yes, so that’s all square. Let’s hear your story. I’ve got half-an-hour to pass in idleness; but all our gang have to muster to-night; we’ve got ‘a great thing’ on hand. Will you join us?” “That depends.” “Depends? But you must.” “Must, eh! Well then, if you say so, then must it shall be.” “Go on with your story then.” “You won’t blow on me.” “Me? You must be dreaming.” “But you’d never expect to hear what I’m going to tell.” “Perhaps not, but whatever it is, out with it.” So encouraged, and even now half drunk with wine, Phillip began his story; his first step in crime, as he called it. And as he went on, Captain Jack eyed him like a hawk, and his eyes glistened with deadly malice towards Phillip, as Redgill began:— “Tom Templeton was generally admitted to be the greatest Greek scholar in college. “Plato, Demosthenes and Xenophon were eternally in his hands, and his favourite amusement seemed to be to have a ‘quiet half-hour’ with Homer or Sophocles. “How he could muster sufficient patience to pore over those tantalizing authors, seemed a great mystery to all the Juniors, but the ‘Nobs,’ ‘Dons,’ and ‘Big-wigs’ of the university would complacently smile, take a pinch of snuff, and nod to Tom, who, squatted at his ease upon the grass, would loll for hours under the trees of our extensive grounds and park, and smoke with impunity, in open defiance of every rule and regulation. “He could leap, run, walk, fence, and, in fact, excel at anything to which he seemed, inclined to pay attention, except swim, which he never did. “And he was such a favourite with all, that none seemed to take notice, or be at all surprised at anything he might attempt or accomplish.