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ran into the house. He was back in a moment, and I
smelt a strong reek of brandy as he passed me.

"'Well, my man,' said he. 'What can I do for you?'

"The sailor stood looking at him with puckered eyes,
and with the same loose-lipped smile upon his face.

"'You don't know me?' he asked.

"'Why, dear me, it is surely Hudson,' said Mr. Trevor
in a tone of surprise.

"'Hudson it is, sir,' said the seaman. 'Why, it's
thirty year and more since I saw you last. Here you
are in your house, and me still picking my salt meat
out of the harness cask.'

"'Tut, you will find that I have not forgotten old
times,' cried Mr. Trevor, and, walking towards the
sailor, he said something in a low voice. 'Go into
the kitchen,' he continued out loud, 'and you will get
food and drink. I have no doubt that I shall find you
a situation.'

"'Thank you, sir,' said the seaman, touching his
fore-lock. 'I'm just off a two-yearer in an
eight-knot tramp, short-handed at that, and I wants a
rest. I thought I'd get it either with Mr. Beddoes or
with you.'

"'Ah!' cried Trevor. 'You know where Mr. Beddoes is?'

"'Bless you, sir, I know where all my old friends
are,' said the fellow with a sinister smile, and he
slouched off after the maid to the kitchen. Mr.
Trevor mumbled something to us about having been
shipmate with the man when he was going back to the
diggings, and then, leaving us on the lawn, he went
indoors. An hour later, when we entered the house, we
found him stretched dead drunk upon the dining-room
sofa. The whole incident left a most ugly impression
upon my mind, and I was not sorry next day to leave
Donnithorpe behind me, for I felt that my presence
must be a source of embarrassment to my friend.

"All this occurred during the first month of the long
vacation. I went up to my London rooms, where I spent
seven weeks working out a few experiments in organic
chemistry. One day, however, when the autumn was far
advanced and the vacation drawing to a close, I
received a telegram from my friend imploring me to
return to Donnithorpe, and saying that he was in great
need of my advice and assistance. Of course I dropped
everything and set out for the North once more.

"He met me with the dog-cart at the station, and I saw
at a glance that the last two months had been very
trying ones for him. He had grown thin and careworn,
and had lost the loud, cheery manner for which he had
been remarkable.

"'The governor is dying,' were the first words he
said.

"'Impossible!' I cried. 'What is the matter?'

"'Apoplexy. Nervous shock, He's been on the verge
all day. I doubt if we shall find him alive.'

"I was, as you may think, Watson, horrified at this
unexpected news.

"'What has caused it?' I asked.

"'Ah, that is the point. Jump in and we can talk it
over while we drive. You remember that fellow who
came upon the evening before you left us?'

"'Perfectly.'

"'Do you know who it was that we let into the house

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