Daddy Tantaine walked straight up to the youth, and with a sound cuff sent his hat flying.

The lad turned sharply round, evidently in a terrible rage; but, recognizing his assailant, shrank back, and muttered to himself, “Landed!” In an instant he restored his arm to its originally healthy condition, and, picking up his cap, replaced it on his head, and humbly waited for fresh orders.

“Is this the way you execute your errands?” asked Daddy Tantaine, snarling.

“What errands?  I have heard of none!”

“Never you mind that.  Did not M. Mascarin, on my recommendation, put you in the way of earning your livelihood? and did you not promise to give up begging?”

“Beg pardon, guv’nor, I meant to be on the square, but I didn’t like to waste time while I was a-waiting.  I don’t like a-being idle and I have copped seven browns.”

“Toto Chupin,” said the old man, with great severity, “you will certainly come to a bad end.  But come, give your report.  What have you seen?”

During this conversation they were walking slowly along the quay, and had passed the Hotel Dieu.

“Well, guv’nor,” replied the young rogue, “I just saw what you said I should.  At four sharp, a carriage drove into the Place, and pulled up bang opposite the wigmaker’s.  Dash me, if it weren’t a swell turnout!—­horse, coachman, and all, in real slap-up style.  It waited so long that I thought it had taken root there.”

“Come, get on!  Was there any one inside?”

“I should think there was!  I twigged him at once, by the description you gave me.  I never see a cove togged out as he was,—­tall hat, light sit-down-upons, and a short coat—­wasn’t it cut short! but in really bang-up style.  To be certain, I went right up to him, for it was getting dark, and had a good look at him.  He had got out of the trap, and was marching up and down the pavement, with an unlighted cigar stuck in his mouth.  I took a match, and said, ‘Have a light, my noble swell?’ and hanged if he didn’t give me ten centimes!  My! ain’t he ugly!—­short, shrivelled up, and knock-kneed, with a glass in his eye, and altogether precious like a monkey.”

Daddy Tantaine began to grow impatient with all this rigmarole.  “Come, tell me what took place,” said he angrily.

“Precious little.  The young swell didn’t seem to care about dirtying his trotter-cases; he kept slashing about with his cane, and staring at all the gals.  What an ass that masher is!  Wouldn’t I have liked to have punched his head!  If you ever want to hide him, daddy, please think of yours truly.  He wouldn’t stand up to me for five minutes.”

“Go on, my lad; go on.”

“Well, we had waited half an hour, when all at once a woman came sharp round the corner, and stops before the masher.  Wasn’t she a fine gal! and hadn’t she a pair of sparklers! but she had awfully seedy togs on.  But they spoke in whispers.”