But his business must be performed; with trembling limbs he hurried onwards, and at length reached the office of Legge Brothers.  The member of the firm to whom the note which he bore was addressed had but a few minutes ago left the place; he would return within an hour.  How could the time be spent?  He began to wander aimlessly about the streets.  In passing a spot where scaffolding was erected before new buildings, the wish entered his mind that something might fall and crush him.  He thought of such an end as a blessed relief.

A hand was laid upon his shoulder, and at the touch his heart leaped as though it would burst his side.  He turned and, with starting eyes, glared at the man before him, a perfect stranger, he thought.

‘Is it?  Or isn’t it?  Hood, or his ghost?’

The man who spoke was of the shabbiest appearance, wearing an almost napless high hat, a coloured linen shirt which should have been at the laundress’s, no neck-tie, a frock-coat with only one button, low shoes terribly down at heel; for all that, the most jovial-looking man, red-nosed, laughing.  At length Hood was capable of recognising him.

‘Cheeseman!  Well, who on earth would have expected to meet you!’

’I’ve followed you half along the street; couldn’t be sure.  Afraid I startled you at last, old friend.’

They had known each other as young men, and it was now ten years at least since they had met.  They were companions in ill-hap, the difference between them being that Cheeseman bore the buffets of the world with imperturbable good humour; but then he had neither wife nor child, kith nor kin.  He had tried his luck in all parts of England and in several other countries; casual wards had known him, and he had gained a supper by fiddling in the streets.  Many a beginning had he made, but none led to anything; he seemed, in truth, to enjoy a haphazard existence.  If Cheeseman had possessed literary skill, the story of his life from his own hand would have been invaluable; it is a misfortune that the men who are richest in ‘material’ are those who would never dream of using it.

They were passing a public-house; Cheeseman caught his friend by the arm and, in spite of resistance, drew him in.

‘Two threes of gin hot,’ was his order.  ’The old drink, Hood, my boy; the drink that has saved me from despair a thousand times.  How many times have you and I kept up each other’s pecker over a three of gin!  You don’t look well; you’ve wanted old Cheeseman to cheer you up.  Things bad?  Why, damn it, of course things are bad; when were they anything else with you and me, eh?  Your wife, how is she?  Remember me to her, will you?  She never took to me, but never mind that.  And the little girl?  How’s the little girl?  Alive and well, please God?’

‘Rather more than a little girl now,’ returned Hood.  ’And doing well, I’m glad to say.  She’s a governess; has an excellent place in London.’