Our Odd-men 



''Yes I've been very ill, but I'm getting 

 on now, thank you." 



He disappeared and drew the door 

 to, but a minute after, it reopened and 

 Sprightly's voice, a trifle more husky than 

 usual said, " I say Master Hal, don't I 

 wish it would do you any good if some- 

 body was to run twenty mile for you ! 

 Wouldn't old Spright be off! " Then the 

 head was withdrawn and the door closed. 



Sprightly had two besetting sins : he 

 was a terrible fellow for drink, was poor 

 Spright, and if we sent him to make a few 

 purchases he never could bring home the 

 correct amount of change ! there was 

 always a penny or threepence, or even 

 sixpence missing, for which he, though with 

 much head-scratching and general doleful- 

 ness of appearance, could never account. 

 Not that he was dishonest, for he always 

 made it up to us, either in coin at a later 

 date, or in an unnecessarily large amount 

 of work ; but the immediate temptation of 

 holding money in his hands was too strong 

 to be resisted. Drink was the worst enemy 

 of that half-developed, wholly devoted 

 soul. How often have I seen him muddled 

 and sottish, the foolish creature, at night, 

 and groaning in sincere penitence in our 

 office next morning ! Especially well I 

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