Beasley executed a formal bow. "There is a gentleman here who'd like tomeet you." And he presented me with some grave phrases commendatory ofmy general character, addressing the child as "Mister Swift"; whereuponMister Swift gave me a ghostly little hand and professed himself glad tomeet me.

"And besides me," he added, to Beasley, "there's Bill Hammersley and Mr.Corley Linbridge."