r Superintendent," began the
baronet, "that I might ask your advice and help in a matter in which
Lady Oldfield here and myself are most deeply concerned."

The superintendent gave a slight bend forward, as much as to say that
this introduction to the subject in hand was a matter of course.

Sir Thomas then, with some embarrassment of manner, gave his hearer an
account of his son's unhappy career, and his own difficulties about
tracing him, and concluded by saying,--

"And now, sir, I would ask your help to discover my poor boy before it
be too late."

The superintendent signified his assent.

"What do you think?" asked Sir Thomas.

"We can find him, no doubt, if he is still in Liverpool," said the
officer.

"And do you think he _is_ now in Liverpool?" asked Lady Oldfield.

"I do."

"What makes you think, so?" asked the baronet.

"Several things. First, he'll be likely to stay where he can get most
easily at the drink. Secondly, he'll not go away to any near country
place, because he'd get sooner marked there. Thirdly, as he seems hard
up for money, he'll have to pawn anything he may have left that's worth
pawning, and he can do that best and most secretly in a large town."

Poor Sir Thomas and his lady felt a shiver through their hearts at the
matter-of-fact way in which these words were uttered.

"You don't think, then," asked the baronet, "that he has started in any
vessel for America or Australia?"

"No; because no captain would take him as a sailor, and he'd not be able
to raise money to go even as a steerage passenger. Besides, he wouldn't
risk it, as he'd know that all the outward bound vessels might be
searched for him by that man of his--Poole, I think you called him."

"But don't you suppose he may have left by railway, and gone to some
other large town?"

"Of course he may, but I don't think he has, because he'll have sense
enough to know that he can't have much to spare for travelling, if he's
gambled away his ready money, and don't mean to ask you for any more."

"Perhaps he has done, or means to do, something desperate," said Lady
Oldfield, tremblingly; "he seemed to hint at something of the kind in
his letter to me."

"No, he'll not do that, I think--at least not just yet. Habitual
drunkards have seldom got it in them. They'll talk big, but still
they'll go on hanging about where they can get the drink."

"Then you believe that he is still in Liverpool?" said Sir Thomas.

"Th