side that greasy
baize cleared me down to the lining.

However, if I had made a donkey of myself, it wasn't an altogether
novel experience, and I was philosopher enough not to weep over it. So
I crammed my fists into my pockets by way of ballast, and sauntered to
the door for a trifle of property which the regulations had made me
leave there.

Whilst I was picking my own particular weapon from amongst the armoury
Haigh joined me, announcing that he also was cleaned out; and adding
that he was not altogether sorry, as those flickering gas-jets bothered
him.

The observation, if slightly illogical, was very explanatory; and so
thinking that he'd be none the worse for being looked after, I said I'd
stroll back up into the town with him. As we went up through the narrow
streets he imparted a long detail of woe; but he maundered over it
considerably, and whether the lady who was mostly in question was his
own wife, or some one else's wife, or no wife at all, was a point still
hidden from me when we sheered up in front of his hotel. Here he got
more mournful still, and quitted the tale of his past ill-treatment for
a more pressing question of the present.

"Yes, here we are, old chap, and I'm awfully sorry I can't ask you in
to have something. But the fact is, I'm not in very good odour there
just at present. My bill d'ye see's been galloping for the last three
weeks, and at lunch to-day the proprietor fellow said he couldn't wait
any longer for my remittances. He said that if they didn't come by
evening he'd rather I went, leaving my baggage behind by way of
souvenir. I'm afraid the two portmanteaus aren't worth very much, as
I've--er--disposed of most of the contents, and supplied the weight by
pieces of iron kentledge done up in one or other of the daily papers. I
had a notion that I should have raised funds this evening, but
circumstances intervened which--er--you understand, made me somewhat
worse off than before. Of course if I went in there they might put me
up again for to-night; but that proprietor fellow might be about, and I
shouldn't care to meet him. He's such a nasty way of looking at a chap.
So I think, on the whole, I shall just go down and sleep on my boat."

"Your boat?" I repeated in a dazed sort of way.

"Yes," said Haigh, blinking at me anxiously; "just a little cutter I've
got down there in the harbour. But I say, dear chappie, you aren't
taking it unkindly that I don't ask you in here, are you? '