olted for the door which leads into Castle Street.
I turned round when I reached the door and saw the waiter tapping his
forehead with one finger and talking to Pratt. It was not difficult to
guess what he was saying.

I did not know what to do next, so I walked very slowly to the station
and stood in front of the book-stall. Business unfortunately was slack
when I arrived and one of the boys would not leave me alone, he offered
me so many papers that in sheer desperation I bought several; I told
him that I would have two shillings' worth, and left the selection of
them to him. Then I walked off to a seat at the end of the platform to
do a little thinking, but before I had really got settled I saw Fred
walking towards me with his head somewhere near the second button of
his waistcoat. I shouted to him, and after we had sat on the bench for
quite a minute without speaking we both began to laugh at the same
time, until a porter and a ticket-collector came to see what was
happening. The porter was a burly man with a cheerful countenance, and
he seemed so pleased to see any one enjoying themselves that he came
close to us, but the ticket-collector stood afar off.

"Nice weather, gentlemen," he said, and having agreed with him we began
to laugh again.

"I've not 'eard a good joke for many a fine day, you seem to be
a-enjoying of yourselves, my missis 'as got the mumps," and he took off
his cap and scratched his head.

Fred said that mumps were very painful.

"Nearly what you call a tragedy on the river to-day, seemingly," he
went on, and I groaned aloud, but Fred, who had no idea what was
coming, asked him what had happened.

"It's like this," he began, "one of my mates, who 'as a brother what
belongs to one of them boat-'ouses where they let out most anything to
anybody what'll pay for it, 'eard in 'is dinner 'our as 'ow a young
woman would 'ave gone to 'er death only 'er young man 'opped into the
river and saved 'er life. That's what my mate told me, but 'e's a bit
of a liar."

I jumped up from the seat before he had time to tell us anything more,
and pushing a shilling into his hand said that the ticket-collector was
beckoning to him. He was so surprised that he had not enough breath to
thank me, but he was kind enough to go away. When he thought I was not
looking I saw him tapping his forehead and grinning like that
abominable waiter in the Union. After two or three minutes of peace
the ticket-collector