who's wid you?"

"Oh, this is a friend o' mine--Geoff, dis is d' Spider!" explained
Spike.

Visualised in "the Spider" Ravenslee saw a tall, slender youth, very
wide in the shoulder and prodigiously long of arm and leg, and who
looked at him keen-eyed from beneath a wide cap brim, while his square
jaws worked with untiring industry upon a wad of chewing gum.

"Good evening!" said Ravenslee and held out his hand. The Spider ceased
chewing for a moment, nodded, and turning to Spike, chewed fiercer than
ever.

"Where youse goin', Kid?" he enquired, masticating the while.

"What was you goin' to tell me, Spider?" demanded Spike, a note of
sudden anxiety in his voice.

"Nawthin', Kid."

"Aw--come off, Spider! What was it?"

The Spider glanced up at the gloomy sky, glanced down at the dingy
pavement, and finally beckoned Spike aside with a quick back-jerk of the
head, and, stooping close, whispered something in his ear--something
that caused the boy to start away with clenched hands and face of
horror, something that seemed to trouble him beyond speech, for he stood
a moment dumb and staring, then found utterance in a sudden, hoarse cry:

"No--no! It ain't true--oh, my God!"

And with the cry, Spike turned sharp about and, springing to a run,
vanished into the shadows.

"What's the matter?" demanded Ravenslee, turning on the Spider.

"Matter?" repeated that youth, staring at him under his cap brim again;
"well, say--I guess you'd better ask d' Kid."

"Where's he gone?"

"How do I know?"

"It isn't--his sister, is it?"

"Miss Hermione? Well, I guess not!" So saying, the Spider, chewing
ferociously, turned and vanished down the dark entry with divers other
shadows.

For a moment Mr. Ravenslee stood where he was, staring uncertainly after
him; presently however he went on toward Mulligan's, though very slowly,
and with black brows creased in frowning perplexity.

CHAPTER VII

CONCERNING ANKLES, STAIRS, AND NEIGHBOURLINESS

It was in no very pleasant humour that Geoffrey Ravenslee began to climb
the many stairs (that much-trodden highway) that led up to his new
abode; he climbed them slowly, frowning in a dark perplexity, and wholly
unconscious of the folk that jostled him or paused to stare after him as
he went.

But presently, and all at once, he became aware of one who climbed half
a flight above him, and, glancing up, he saw a foot in a somewhat worn
shoe, a shapely foot nevertheless, joi