pressed it.

"Obstinate young beggar," he growled; "it would serve him right to
let him get out of the mess by himself;" and then he relented from
his severity, and rapidly added up some sums in his head. The result
of his calculation was satisfactory. He had just that amount lying
idle at his banker's. His mother made him a liberal allowance, and
he was beginning to turn an honest penny by literary work. At that
time he was still an occupant of his mother's house, so his expenses
were not great.

"Yes, I will risk it," he thought, with one of those sudden impulses
that took other people as well as himself by surprise, and then he
walked quickly up to Cedric.

"Look here, Templeton," he exclaimed, "I have made up my mind to go
bail for the whole amount. It is too late now to do anything, but
to-morrow I will see those fellows and give them a bit of my mind.
Your friend the card-sharper will have to make tracks. Anyhow, I
will pay up."

"Good heavens, Mr. Herrick, you don't mean--you don't mean;" but
here Cedric could not utter a word more, for his voice was choked
with sobs. Malcolm could just gather a few incoherent expressions--
"benefactor"--"God bless him"--"eternal gratitude," or some such
phrases.

"Tut, nonsense," returned Malcolm testily; but his eyes were not
quite clear, and he laid a kindly hand on the boy's shoulder. "I
want no thanks, only you must promise me, on your word as an English