Mr. McAdam, of the firm of McAdam and Squire, was ahighly polished man who dwelt behind a highly polishedtable in the neatest and snuggest of offices. He waswhite-haired and amiable, with a deep-lined aquilineface, was addicted to low bows, and indeed, always seemedto carry himself at half-cock, as though just descendinginto one, or just recovering himself. He wore ahigh-buckled stock, took snuff, and adorned hisconversation with little scraps from the classics.

"My dear Sir," said he, when he had listened to theirstory, "any friend of Mrs. Westmacott's is a friend ofmine. Try a pinch. I wonder that you should have goneto this man Metaxa. His advertisement is enough tocondemn him. Habet foenum in cornu. They are allrogues."

"The doctor was a rogue too. I didn't like the lookof him at the time."

"Arcades ambo. But now we must see what we can dofor you. Of course what Metaxa said was perfectly right. The pension is in itself no security at all, unless itwere accompanied by a life assurance which would bean income in itself. It is no good whatever."

His clients' faces fell.

"But there is the second alternative. You might sellthe pension right out. Speculative investorsoccasionally deal in such things. I have one client, asporting man, who would be very likely to take it up ifwe could agree upon terms. Of course, I must followMetaxa's example by sending for a doctor."

For the second time was the Admiral punched andtapped and listened to. This time, however, there couldbe no question of the qualifications of the doctor, awell-known Fellow of the College of Surgeons, and hisreport was as favorable as the other's had been adverse.

"He has the heart and chest of a man of forty," saidhe. "I can recommend his life as one of the best of hisage that I have ever examined."

"That's well," said Mr. McAdam, making a note of thedoctor's remarks, while the Admiral disbursed a secondguinea. "Your price, I understand, is five thousandpounds. I can communicate with Mr. Elberry, my client,and let you know whether he cares to touch the matter. Meanwhile you can leave your pension papers here, and Iwill give you a receipt for them."

"Very well. I should like the money soon."

"That is why I am retaining the papers. If Ican see Mr. Elberry to-day we may let you have a chequeto-morrow. Try another pinch. No? Well, good-bye. Iam very happy to have been of service." Mr. McAdam bowedthem out, for he was a very busy man, and they foundthemselves in the street once more with lighter heartsthan when they bad left it.

"Well, Westmacott, I am sure I am very much obligedto you," said the Admiral. "You have stood by me when Iwas the better for a little help, for I'm clean out of mysoundings among these city sharks. But I've something todo now which is more in my own line, and I need nottrouble you any more."

"Oh, it is no trouble. I have nothing to do. Inever have anything to do. I don't suppose I could do itif I had. I should be delighted to come with you, sir,if I can be of any use."

"No, no, my lad. You go home again. It would bekind of you, though, if you would look in at number onewhen you get back and tell my wife that all's well withme, and that I'll be back in an hour or so."

"All right, sir. I'll tell her." Westmacott raisedhis hat and strode away to the westward, while theAdmiral, after a hurried lunch, bent his steps towardsthe east.

It was a long walk, but the old seaman swung along ata rousing pace, leaving street after street behind him. The great business places dwindled down intocommonplace shops and dwellings, which decreased andbecame more stunted, even as the folk who filled themdid, until he was deep in the evil places of the easternend. It was a land of huge, dark houses and of garishgin-shops, a land, too, where life moves irregularly andwhere adventures are to be gained--as the Admiral was tolearn to his cost.

He was hurrying down one of the long, narrow,stone-flagged lanes between the double lines ofcrouching, disheveled women and of dirty children who saton the hollowed steps of the houses, and basked in theautumn sun. At one side was a barrowman with a load ofwalnuts, and beside the barrow a bedraggled woman with ablack fringe and a chequered shawl thrown over her head. She was cracking walnuts and picking them out of theshells, throwing out a remark occasionally to a rough manin a rabbit-skin cap, with straps under the knees of hiscorduroy trousers, who stood puffing a black clay pipewith his back against the wall. What the cause of thequarrel was, or what sharp sarcasm from the woman's lipspricked suddenly through that thick skin may never beknown, but suddenly the man took his pipe in his lefthand, leaned forward, and deliberately struck her acrossthe face with his right. It was a slap rather than ablow, but the woman gave a sharp cry and cowered upagainst the barrow with her hand to her cheek.

"You infernal villain!" cried the Admiral, raisinghis stick. "You brute and blackguard!"

"Garn!" growled the rough, with the deep raspingintonation of a savage. "Garn out o' this or I'll----" He took a step forward with uplifted hand, but in aninstant down came cut number three upon his wrist, andcut number five across his thigh, and cut number one full in the center of his rabbit-skin cap. It was not aheavy stick, but it was strong enough to leave a good redweal wherever it fell. The rough yelled with pain, andrushed in, hitting with both hands, and kicking with hisiron-shod boots, but the Admiral had still a quick footand a true eye, so that he bounded backwards andsideways, still raining a shower, of blows upon hissavage antagonist. Suddenly, however, a pair of armsclosed round his neck, and glancing backwards he caughta glimpse of the black coarse fringe of the woman whom hehad befriended, "I've got him!" she shrieked. "I'll 'old'im. Now, Bill, knock the tripe out of him!" Her gripwas as strong as a man's, and her wrist pressed like aniron bar upon the Admiral's throat. He made adesperate effort to disengage himself, but the most thathe could do was to swing her round, so as to place herbetween his adversary and himself. As it proved, itwas the very best thing that he could have done. Therough, half-blinded and maddened by the blows which hehad received, struck out with all his ungainly strength,just as his partner's head swung round in front of him. There was a noise like that of a stone hitting a wall, adeep groan, her grasp relaxed, and she dropped a deadweight upon the pavement, while the Admiral sprang backand raised his stick once more, ready either for attackor defense. Neither were needed, however, for at thatmoment there was a scattering of the crowd, and twopolice constables, burly and helmeted, pushed their waythrough the rabble. At the sight of them the rough tookto his heels, and was instantly screened from view by aveil of his friends and neighbors.

"I have been assaulted," panted the Admiral. "Thiswoman was attacked and I had to defend her."

"This is Bermondsey Sal," said one police officer,bending over the bedraggled heap of tattered shawl anddirty skirt. "She's got it hot this time."

"He was a shortish man, thick, with a beard."

"Ah, that's Black Davie. He's been up four times forbeating her. He's about done the job now. If I were youI would let that sort settle their own little affairs,sir."

"Do you think that a man who holds the Queen'scommission will stand by and see a woman struck?" criedthe Admiral indignantly.

"Well, just as you like, sir. But you've lost yourwatch, I see."

"My watch!" He clapped his hand to his waistcoat. The chain was hanging down in front, and the watch gone.

He passed his hand over his forehead. "I would nothave lost that watch for anything," said he. "No moneycould replace it. It was given me by the ship's companyafter our African cruise. It has an inscription."

The policeman shrugged his shoulders. "It comes frommeddling," said he.

"What'll you give me if I tell yer where it is?" saida sharp-faced boy among the crowd. "Will you gimme aquid?"

"Certainly."

"Well, where's the quid?"

The Admiral took a sovereign from his pocket. "Hereit is."

"Then 'ere's the ticker!" The boy pointed to theclenched hand of the senseless woman. A glimmer of goldshone out from between the fingers, and on opening themup, there was the Admiral's chronometer. Thisinteresting victim had throttled her protector with onehand, while she had robbed him with the other.

The Admiral left his address with the policeman,satisfied that the woman was only stunned, not dead,and then set off upon his way once more, the poorerperhaps in his faith in human nature, but in very goodspirits none the less. He walked with dilated nostrilsand clenched hands, all glowing and tingling with theexcitement of the combat, and warmed with the thoughtthat he could still, when there was need, take his ownpart in a street brawl in spite of his three-score andodd years.

His way now led towards the river-side regions, anda cleansing whiff of tar was to be detected in thestagnant autumn air. Men with the blue jersey and peakedcap of the boatman, or the white ducks of the dockers,began to replace the cardurys and fustian of thelaborers. Shops with nautical instruments in thewindows, rope and paint sellers, and slop shops with longrows of oilskins dangling from hooks, all proclaimed theneighborhood of the docks. The Admiral quickened hispace and straightened his figure as his surroundingsbecame more nautical, until at last, peeping between twohigh, dingy wharfs, he caught a glimpse of themud-colored waters of the Thames, and of the bristle ofmasts and funnels which rose from its broad bosom. Tothe right lay a quiet street, with many brass plates uponeither side, and wire blinds in all of the windows. TheAdmiral walked slowly down it until "The Saint LawrenceShipping Company" caught his eye. He crossed theroad, pushed open the door, and found himself in alow-ceilinged office, with a long counter at one end anda great number of wooden sections of ships stuck uponboards and plastered all over the walls.

"Is Mr. Henry in?" asked the Admiral.

"No, sir," answered an elderly man from a high seatin the corner. "He has not come into town to-day. I canmanage any business you may wish seen to."

"You don't happen to have a first or second officer'splace vacant, do you?"

The manager looked with a dubious eye at his singularapplicant.

"Do you hold certificates?" he asked.

"I hold every nautical certificate there is."

"Then you won't do for us."

"Why not?"

"Your age, sir.

"I give you my word that I can see as well as ever,and am as good a man in every way."

"I don't doubt it."

"Why should my age be a bar, then?"

"Well, I must put it plainly. If a man of your age,holding certificates, has not got past a second officer'sberth, there must be a black mark against him somewhere. I don't know what it is, drink or temper, or want ofjudgment, but something there must be."

"I assure you there is nothing, but I find myselfstranded, and so have to turn to the old business again."

"Oh, that's it," said the manager, with suspicion inhis eye. "How long were you in your last billet?"

"Fifty-one years."

"What!"

"Yes, sir, one-and-fifty years."

"In the same employ?"

"Yes."

"Why, you must have begun as a child."

"I was twelve when I joined."

"It must be a strangely managed business," said themanager, "which allows men to leave it who have servedfor fifty years, and who are still as good as ever. Whodid you serve?"

"The Queen. Heaven bless her!"

"Oh, you were in the Royal Navy. What rating did youhold?"

"I am Admiral of the Fleet."

The manager started, and sprang down from his highstool.

"My name is Admiral Hay Denver. There is my card. And here are the records of my service. I don't, youunderstand, want to push another man from his billet; butif you should chance to have a berth open, I should bevery glad of it. I know the navigation from the CodBanks right up to Montreal a great deal better than Iknow the streets of London."

The astonished manager glanced over the blue paperswhich his visitor had handed him. "Won't you take achair, Admiral?" said he.

"Thank you! But I should be obliged if you woulddrop my title now. I told you because you asked me, butI've left the quarter-deck, and I am plain Mr. Hay Denvernow."

"May I ask," said the manager, "are you the sameDenver who commanded at one time on the North Americanstation?"

"I did."

"Then it was you who got one of our boats, theComus, off the rocks in the Bay of Fundy? Thedirectors voted you three hundred guineas as salvage, andyou refused them."

"It was an offer which should not have been made,"said the Admiral sternly.

"Well, it reflects credit upon you that you shouldthink so. If Mr. Henry were here I am sure that he wouldarrange this matter for you at once. As it is, I shalllay it before the directors to-day, and I am sure thatthey will be proud to have you in our employment, and, Ihope, in some more suitable position than that which yousuggest."

"I am very much obliged to you, sir," said theAdmiral, and started off again, well pleased, upon hishomeward journey.