y no means singular. His size and strength
also saved him from much annoyance, for the roughs, who might otherwise
have bullied him, felt that it would be wise to leave him alone.

On one occasion, however, his pacific principles were severely tested as
well as his manhood, and as this led to important results we must
recount the incident.

There was a little lame, elderly man, who was a habitual visitor at one
of the houses which our hero frequented. He was a humorous character,
who made light of his troubles, and was a general favourite. Charlie
had felt interested in the man, and in ordinary circumstances would have
inquired into his history, but, as we have said, he laid some restraint
on his natural tendency to inquire and sympathise. As it was, however,
he showed his goodwill by many little acts of kindness--such as making
way for Zook--so he was called--when he wanted to get to the general
fire to boil his tea or coffee; giving him a portion of his own food on
the half pretence that he had eaten as much as he wanted, etcetera.

There was another _habitue_ of the same lodging, named Stoker, whose
temperament was the very opposite to that of little Zook. He was a
huge, burly dock labourer; an ex-prize-fighter and a disturber of the
peace wherever he went. Between Stoker and Zook there was nothing in
common save their poverty, and the former had taken a strong dislike to
the latter, presumably on the ground of Zook's superiority in everything
except bulk of frame. Charlie had come into slight collision with
Stoker on Zook's account more than once, and had tried to make peace
between them, but Stoker was essentially a bully; he would listen to no
advice, and had more than once told the would-be peacemaker to mind his
own business.

One evening, towards the close of our hero's search among the
lodging-houses, little Zook entered the kitchen of the establishment,
tea-pot and penny loaf in hand. He hastened towards the roaring fire
that might have roasted a whole sheep, and which served to warm the
entire basement storey, or kitchen, of the tenement.

"Here, Zook," said Charlie, as the former passed the table at which he
was seated taking his supper, "I've bought more than I can eat, as
usual! I've got two red-herrings and can eat only one. Will you help
me?"

"It's all fish that comes to my net, Charlie," said the little man,
skipping towards his friend, and accepting the herring with a grateful
but ex