Bundy struck a match and held it over the prostrate figure.

It was the Semi-drunk.
After parting from Philpot, the poor wretch had managed to walk all right for some distance.

As Philpot had remarked, the fall had to some extent sobered him; but he had not gone very far before the drink he had taken began to affect him again and he had fallen down.

Finding it impossible to get up, he began crawling along on his hands and knees, unconscious of the fact that he was travelling in the wrong direction.
Even this mode of progression failed him at last, and he would probably have been run over if they had not found him.

They raised him up, and Philpot, exhorting him to 'pull himself together' inquired where he lived.