'Never mind, John, never mind the sherry to-day,' said M'Ruen. 'Mr. Tudor is very kind, but I'll take beer;' and the little man gave a laugh and twisted his head, and ate his chop and drank his stout, as though he found that both were very good indeed. When he had finished, Charley paid the bill and discovered that he was left with ninepence in his pocket. And then he produced the bill stamp. 'Waiter,' said he, 'pen and ink,' and the waiter brought pen and ink. 'Not to-day,' said Jabesh, wiping his mouth with the table-cloth. 'Not to-day, Mr. Tudor--I really haven't time to go into it to-day--and I haven't brought the other bills with me; I quite forgot to bring the other bills with me, and I can do nothing without them,' and Mr. M'Ruen got up to go. But this was too much for Charley. He had often before bought bill stamps in vain, and in vain had paid for mutton chops and beer for Mr. M'Ruen's dinner; but he had never before, when doing so, been so hard pushed for money as he was now. He was determined to make a great attempt to gain his object. 'Nonsense,' said he, getting up and standing so as to prevent M'Ruen from leaving the box; 'that's d---- nonsense.' 'Oh! don't swear,' said M'Ruen--'pray don't take God's name in vain; I don't like it.' 'I shall swear, and to some purpose too, if that's your game. Now look here----' 'Let me get up, and we'll talk of it as we go to the bank--you are so unpunctual, you know.' 'D---- your punctuality.' 'Oh! don't swear, Mr. Tudor.' 'Look here--if you don't let me have this money to-day, by all that is holy I will never pay you a farthing again--not one farthing; I'll go into the court, and you may get your money as you can.' 'But, Mr. Tudor, let me get up, and we'll talk about it in the street, as we go along.' 'There's the stamp,' said Charley. 'Fill it up, and then I'll go with you to the bank.'