been heard of it was sufficient to
fill Mr Blunt with surprise and perplexity.

"Well, Blunt," said Mr Superintendent Sharp, coming up at that moment,
"what has brought you here?"

The detective related his story privately to his superior, and remarked
that he began to fear there must be some mistake.

"Yes, there is a mistake of some sort," said Sharp, with a laugh, "for
I've met him frequently at Clatterby station, and know him to be a
friend of Mr Tipps; but you have done your duty, Blunt, so you can now
leave the gentleman to me," saying which he went up to Edwin and entered
into an under-toned conversation with him, during which it might have
been observed that Edwin looked a little confused at times, and Mr
Sharp seemed not a little amused.

"Well, it's all right," he said at last, "we have telegraphed for a
special train to take on the passengers who wish to proceed, and you can
go back, if you choose, in the up train, which is about due. It will be
able to get past in the course of half-an-hour. Fortunately the rails
of the up-line are not damaged and the wreck can soon be cleared."

Just then the dandy with the sleepy eyes and long whiskers sauntered up
to the porter on duty, with an unconcerned and lazy air. He had
received no further injury than a shaking, and therefore felt that he
could afford to affect a cool and not-easy-to-be-ruffled demeanour.

"Aw--po-taw," said he, twirling his watch-key, "w'en d'you expect anotha
twain to take us on?"

"Don't know, sir, probably half-an-hour."

"Aw! Dooced awkwad. My fwend has got the bwidge of his nose damaged,
besides some sort of internal injuway, and won't be able to attend to
business to-night, I fear--dooced awkwad."

"D'you hear that?" whispered Sharp to Gurwood, as the "fwend" in
question--he with the checked trousers--sauntered past holding a
handkerchief to his nose. "I know by the way in which that was said
that there will be something more heard some day hence of our fop in
checks. Just come and stand with me in the doorway of the waiting-room,
and listen to what some of the other passengers are saying."

"Very hard," observed a middle-aged man with a sour countenance, who did
not present the appearance of one who had sustained any injury at all,
"very hard this. I shall miss meeting with a friend, and perhaps lose
doin' a good stroke of business to-night."

"Be thankful you haven't lost your life," said Will Garvie, who
supported the