A drink would do me good." "Not until you have eaten something first," was the firm answer.

"Are you so hard up that you could not buy food ?" "Well, the fact is, I have been on my beam ends during the past week.
To-day I pawned a silver watch, but unfortunately returned to my lodgings, where my landlady made such a fiendish row about the bill that I gave her every penny.

Then I pawned my overcoat, raising the exact fare to Stowmarket.

I could not even pay for a 'bus from Gower Street to Liverpool Street.

All I have eaten to-day was a humble breakfast at 8.30 a.m., and I suppose the sun and the journey wore me out.