IN ENGLAND AGAIN 295
never do to kill the rascal. ‘That would be the greatest of
misfortunes; for, with his death, any chance of unmasking
the greater villain would disappear.”

“JT will be careful, father. 1 cannot say how I shall set
about the matter yet, that must depend upon circumstances ;
but as you say, above all things I must be careful of the fel-
low’s life. When is there a ship sailing, father?”

“The day after to-morrow, Charlie. You will want that
time for getting clothes, suitable to a young gentleman of
moderate condition up from the country on a visit to Lon-
don. You must make up your mind that it will be a long
search before you light on the fellow, for we have no clue
as to the tavern he frequents. As a roistering young squire
wanting to see London life, you could go into taverns fre-
quented by doubtful characters, for it is probably in such a
place that you will find him. However, all this I must
leave to you. You showed yourself in that Polish business
well able to help yourself out of a scrape, and if you could
do that among people of whose tongues you were ignorant,
you ought to be able to manage on English soil.”

“At any rate I will do my best, father, of that you may
be sure. I have the advantage of knowing the fellow, and
am pretty certain that he will not know me.”

“Not he, Charlie,” his father said confidently. “ Even
in the last two years, since you were here with Jervoise and
the others, you have changed so much that I myself might
have passed you in the street without knowing you. Now,
you had better go off and see about your things; there is no
time to be lost. I have drawn out a hundred guineas of
my money, which will, I should say, serve you while you
are away; but don’t stint it, lad. Let me know if it runs
short and I will send you more.”

“T have money too, father. I have four months’ pay
due, besides money I have in hand, for there was but little
need for us to put our hands in our pockets.”