was fond of the youth; that he never meant harm to any mortal creature; that he for his own part would have been delighted to pardon the harmless little boyish frolic, had not its unhappy publicity rendered it impossible to look the freak over, and breathing the most fervent wishes for the young fellow's welfare wishes no doubt sincere, for Foker, as we know, came of a noble family on his mother's side, and on the other was heir to a great number of thousand pounds a-year.

"It don't matter," said Foker, talking over the matter with Pen, "a little sooner or a little later, what is the odds? I should have been plucked for my little go again, I know I should- that Latin I cannot screw into my head, and my mamma's anguish would have broken out next term. The Governor will blow like an old grampus, I know he will, well, we must stop till he gets his wind again. I shall probably go abroad and improve my mind with foreign travel. Yes, parly voo's the ticket. It'ly, and that sort of thing. I'll go to Paris, and learn to dance and complete my education. But it's not me I'm anxious about, Pen. As long as people drink beer I don't care, - it's about you I'm doubtful, my boy. You're going too fast, and can't keep up the расе, I tell you. It's not the fifty you owe me, - pay it or not when you like, but it's the every-day pace, and I tell you it will kill you. You're livin' as if there was no end to the money in the stockin' at home. You ought n't to give dinners, you ought to eat 'em. Fellows are glad to have you. You ought n't to owe horse bills, you ought to ride other chaps' nags. You know no more about betting than I do about algebra: the chaps will win your money as sure as you sport it. Hang me if you are

not trying at everything. I saw you sit down to écarté last week at Trumpington's, and taking your turn with the bones after Ringwood's supper. They'll beat you at it, Pen, my boy, even if they play on the square, which I don't say they don't, nor which I don't say they do, mind. But I won't play with 'em. You're no match for 'em. You ain't up to their weight. It's like little Black Strap standing up to Tom Spring, the Black's a pretty fighter, but, Law bless you, his arm ain't long enough to touch Tom, -and I tell you, you're going it with fellers beyond your weight. Look here — If you'll promise me never to bet nor touch a box nor a card, I'll let you off the two ponies."

But Pen, laughingly, said, "that though it was n't convenient to him to pay the two ponies at that moment, he by no means wished to be let off any just debts he owed;" and he and Foker parted, not without many dark forebodings on the latter's part with regard to his friend, who Harry thought was travelling speedily on the road to ruin.

"One must do at Rome as Rome does," Pen said, in a dandified manner, jingling some sovereigns in his waistcoat pocket. "A little quiet play at écarté can't hurt a man who plays pretty well- I came away fourteen sovereigns richer from Ringwood's supper, and, gad! I wanted the money." And he walked off, after having taken leave of poor Foker, who went away without any beat of drum, or offer to drive the coach out of Oxbridge, to superintend a little dinner which he was going to give at his own rooms in Boniface, about which dinners, the cook of the college, who had a great respect for Mr. Pendennis, always took especial pains for his young favorite.