and a keen glance at the boy, and then
smiled to himself; then he meditated, and bit his nails once or twice.

"And when was Mr. Roger taken ill?"

"He slipped down at the door of his lodging and hurt his foot, at
dinner-time yesterday; and he could not walk."

"His lodging? Then he does not sleep in the house?"

"No sir; he sleeps in Stafford Alley, round the corner."

"And where do you live?"

"Please, sir, I go home to my mother nearly every night; but not always."

"And where does your mother live?"

"Please, sir, at 4 Bell's Lane."

Lackington remained deep in thought, and looked at the boy steadily for a
minute or two.

"Now, sir; may I go?" he asked eagerly.

Lackington paid no attention, and he repeated his question. The agent
still did not seem to hear him, but turned to Sir Francis, who was still
at his letters.

"That is all, sir, for the present," he said. "May the boy be kept here
till Monday?"

The lad broke out into wailing; but Lackington turned on him a face so
savage that his whimpers died away into horror-stricken silence.

"As you will," said Sir Francis, pausing for a moment in his writing, and
striking the bell again; and, on the servant's appearance, gave orders
that John Belton should be taken again to the steward's parlour until
further directions were received. The boy went sobbing out and down the
passage again under the servant's charge, and the door closed.

"And the mother?" asked Walsingham abruptly, pausing with pen upraised.

"With your permission, sir, I will tell her that her boy is in trouble,
and that if his master sends to inquire for him, she is to say he is sick
upstairs."

"And you will report to me on Monday?"

"Yes, sir; by then I shall hope to have taken the crew."

Sir Francis nodded his head sharply, and the pen began to fly over the
paper again; as Lackington slipped out.

* * * *

Anthony Norris was passing through the court of Lambeth House in the
afternoon of the same day, when the porter came to him and said there was
a child waiting in the Lodge with a note for him; and would Master Norris
kindly come to see her. He found a little girl on the bench by the gate,
who stood up and curtseyed as the grand gentleman came striding in; and
handed him a note which he opened at once and read.

"For the love of God," the note ran, "come and aid one who can be of
service to a friend: follow the little maid M