10 CROCODILE ISLAND. 



mences a conversation, when a rush was made into the room by 

 the occupants of all the three coaches, and the Babel and confu- 

 sion they created prevented me from executing my intention. On 

 that occasion I did not join the party at the supper table. I 

 maintained my position at the corner of the chimney, very near 

 the seat occupied by the youth who had so strongly excited my 

 attention. The company were more than usually numerous ; and 

 a gentleman, closely muffled up, finding no room at the principal 

 board, took his station at the same table with the stranger. The 

 intruder threw off one or two cloaks and greatcoats, and untied 

 an immense profusion of comforters and shawls, revealing the 

 very commonplace countenance of a fat, burly man, about fifty 

 years of age, with great, staring, blue eyes, and a lank, flaxen wig, 

 of the lightest colour I had ever seen. This personage gave his 

 orders to the waiter in a very imperious tone, to bring him a 

 plate of cold beef, and a quart of brown stout, and exhibited va- 

 rious signs of impatience while his commands were executed. 



" Cold night, sir," he said, at length, addressing the youth. 

 "I've travelled all the way from Manchester, and feel now as 

 hungry as a hunter." 



" It takes a man a long time to die of starvation," replied the 

 other. " Men have been known to subsist for ten days without 

 tasting food." 



" Tliank God, that has never been my case. I would not 

 abstain from food ten minutes longer to save my father from being 

 hanged. — Make haste, waiter ! " 



The young man shook his head, and threw such an expression 

 of perfect misery into his handsome featares, that his companion 

 was struck with it. 



" I'm afraid," he said, " you are unhappy, in spite of being so 

 young. You haven't wanted meat so long yourself, I hope. — 

 Waiter, what the devil's keeping you with that 'ere beef? " 



" Worse, worse," replied the other, in a hollow voice. " Youth 

 is no preventive against care, or crime, or misery, or — murder ! '' 



He added the last word with such a peculiar intonation, that 

 the traveller started, and laid down his knife and fork, which he 

 had that moment taken possession of, and gazed at him as if he 

 were anxious to make out his meaning. 



"Don't judge of me harshly," continued the youth; "but 

 listen to me, I beseech you, only for a moment, and you will 

 confer a great obligation on a fellow creature, and prevent misery 

 of which you can have no conception." 



