ve been made for me. They are the most
specious articles in our joint wardrobe: I thought to myself as
walked along to-day, Jasper, that after all it is not the coat that
makes the gentleman--it's the trousers. Now, in the matter of boots,
I surpass you. If yours decay at their present rate, your walks in
Oxford Street will become a luxury."

I was silent again.

"I do not recollect any case in fiction of a man being baulked of his
revenge for the want of a pair of boots. Cheer up, Jasper, boy," he
continued, rising and placing a hand on my shoulder. "We have been
fools, and have paid for it. You thought you could find your enemy
in London, and find the hiding-place too big. I thought I could
write, and find I cannot. As for legitimate work, sixteen and
eightpence halfpenny, even with economy, will hardly carry us on for
three years."

I rose. "I will have one more walk in Oxford Street," I said,
"and then come home and see this miserable farce of starvation out."

"Don't be a fool, Jasper. It is difficult, I know, to perish with
dignity on sixteen and eightpence halfpenny: the odd coppers spoil
the effect. Still we might bestow them on a less squeamish beggar
and redeem our pride."

"Tom," I said, suddenly, "you lost a lot of money once over
_rouge-et-noir_."

"Don't remind me of that, Jasper."

"No, no; but where did you lose it?"

"At a gambling hell off Leicester Square. But why--"

"Should you know the place again? Could you find it?"

"Easily."

"Then let us go and try our luck with this miserable sum."

"Don't be a fool, Jasper. What mad notion has taken you now?"

"I have never gambled in my life," I answered, "and may as well have
a little excitement before the end comes. It's not much of a sum, as
you say; but the thought that we are playing for life or death may
make up for that. Let us start at once."

"It is the maddest folly."

"Very well, Tom, we will share this. There may be some little
difficulty over the halfpenny, but I don't mind throwing that in.
We will take half each, and you can hoard whilst I tempt fortune."

"Jasper," said Tom, his eyes filling with tears, "you have said a
hard thing, but I know you don't mean it. If you are absolutely set
on this silly freak, we will stand or fall together."

"Very well," said I, "we will stand or fall together, for I am
perfectly serious. The six and eightpence halfpenny, no more and no
less, I propose to spend in sup