Pratt turned into a somewhat mean and shabby street--a street of small, poor-class shops. He went forward amongst them until he came to one which, if anything, was meaner and shabbier than the others and bore over its window the name Reuben Murgatroyd--Watchmaker and Jeweller. There were few signs of jewellery in Reuben Murgatroyd's window--some cheap clocks, some foreign-made watches of the five-shilling and seven-and-six variety, a selection of flashy rings and chains were spread on the shelves, equally cheap and flashy bangles, bracelets, and brooches lay in dust-covered trays on the sloping bench beneath them. At these things Pratt cast no more than a contemptuous glance. But he looked with interest at the upper part of the window, in which were displayed numerous gaily-coloured handbills and small posters relating to shipping--chiefly in the way of assisted passages to various parts of the globe. These set out that you could get an assisted passage to Canada for so much; to Australia for not much more--and if the bills and posters themselves did not tell you all you wanted to know, certain big letters at the foot of each invited you to apply for further information to Mr. R. Murgatroyd, agent, within. And Pratt pushed open the shop-door and walked inside. An untidily dressed, careworn, anxious-looking man came forward from a parlour at the rear of his shop. At sight of Pratt--who in the course of business had once served him with a writ--his pale face flushed, and then whitened, and Pratt hastened to assure him of his peaceful errand. "All right, Mr. Murgatroyd," he said. "Nothing to be alarmed about--I'm out of that line, now--no papers of that sort tonight. I've a bit of business I can put in your hands--profitable business. Look here!--have you got a quarter of an hour to spare?" Murgatroyd, who looked greatly relieved to find that his visitor had neither writ nor summons for him, glanced at his parlour door. "I was just going to put the shutters up, and sit down to a bite of supper, Mr. Pratt," he answered. "Will you come in, sir?" "No--you come out with me," said Pratt. "Come round to the _Coach and Horses_, and have a drink and we can talk. You'll have a better appetite for your supper when you come back," he added, with a wink. "I've a profitable job for you." "Glad to hear it, sir," replied Murgatroyd. "I can do with aught of that sort, I assure you!" He went into the parlour, said a word or two to some person within, and came out again. "Not much business doing at present, Mr. Pratt," he said, as he and his visitor turned into the street. "Gets slacker than ever." "Then you'll do with a slice of good luck," remarked Pratt. "It just happens that I can put a bit in your way."