"What I want you to do," said Mr. George Wright, as he leaned towards theold sailor, "is to be an uncle to me."

"Aye, aye," said the mystified Mr. Kemp, pausing with a mug of beermidway to his lips.

"A rich uncle," continued the young man, lowering his voice to preventany keen ears in the next bar from acquiring useless knowledge. "Anuncle from New Zealand, who is going to leave me all 'is money."

"Where's it coming from?" demanded Mr. Kemp, with a little excitement.

"It ain't coming," was the reply. "You've only got to say you've got it.Fact of the matter is, I've got my eye on a young lady; there's anotherchap after 'er too, and if she thought I'd got a rich uncle it might makeall the difference. She knows I 'ad an uncle that went to New Zealandand was never heard of since. That's what made me think of it."

Mr. Kemp drank his beer in thoughtful silence. "How can I be a richuncle without any brass?" he inquired at length.

"I should 'ave to lend you some—a little," said Mr. Wright.

The old man pondered. "I've had money lent me before," he said,candidly, "but I can't call to mind ever paying it back. I always meantto, but that's as far as it got."

"It don't matter," said the other. "It'll only be for a little while,and then you'll 'ave a letter calling you back to New Zealand. See? Andyou'll go back, promising to come home in a year's time, after you'vewound up your business, and leave us all your money. See?"

Mr. Kemp scratched the back of his neck. "But she's sure to find it outin time," he objected.

"P'r'aps," said Mr. Wright. "And p'r'aps not. There'll be plenty oftime for me to get married before she does, and you could write back andsay you had got married yourself, or given your money to a hospital."

He ordered some more beer for Mr. Kemp, and in a low voice gave him asmuch of the family history as he considered necessary.

"I've only known you for about ten days," he concluded, "but I'd soonertrust you than

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