," said Kavanagh.

"No, I say five, and I mean five. Take it, or leave it."

"Well, to have done with all bother, we will make it seven pounds,"
cried Kavanagh, who was amused with his first attempt at making a deal
of the kind.

The Jew compressed his lips and shook his head.

"Very good, then," said Kavanagh, dragging one of the portmanteaus
towards him, and beginning to pack it. "I will try my luck over the way
there. I see it is so close a cab will not be necessary; I can carry
the things across. Sorry to have troubled you."

"Here, stop a bit," said the Jew. "Say six pounds, and that is a more
generous offer than you will get anywhere else."

Kavanagh went on with his packing.

"Well, six ten, and that will swallow up all my profit, I fear, but I'll
risk it for once. Well, come, seven pounds then, since you must have
it."

So Kavanagh left goods and chattels, which had cost about seventy
pounds, behind him, and walked out with a tenth part of that sum in
cash.

Then he went down the Strand till he came to a pawnbroker's, where he
disposed of the rings, studs, and pins which he possessed, thus adding a
further ten pounds to his capital.

His next visit was to a watchmaker's, where he was known, though the
owner of it did not recognise him at first in his shabby clothes.

"You see I have come down in the world, Mr Balance," said Kavanagh.

Mr Balance put on what he meant for a grave and sympathetic face.

"To wear a gold watch and chain would be absurd in my altered
circumstances. Are you willing to change them for a stout silver one
which will keep as good time, and pay me something for the difference?"

"Certainly I will, Mr Kavanagh; but, dear me, sir, pardon my asking;
your guardian, Mr Burke, was such an old customer. I hope sir, there
has been no unpleasantness between you."

"None whatever; only he has died, poor man, and his will, in which I
know that I was well treated, cannot be found. So you see I must not
indulge in gold watches."

"Dear me!" said the old man, to whom Kavanagh had gone for his first
watch when quite a little boy, and upon whom he had called whenever he
was in town since; to get the second handsome gold hunter now in
question; to have it cleaned; to buy some little knick-knack, or merely
for a chat. "Dear me; I do hope all will come right; I am _sure_ all
will come right."

"I hope you are a true prophet," said Kavanagh, cheerily. "But now, how
about this s