Of course the two clinging to the rope could be hoisted to the deck or be carefully lowered to the bottom." At six o'clock Paul received a ticket for two more francs.

To get it cashed, he purchased a glass of wine for two sous and then started on a run for his lodgings where he fully expected to find the Count dead.
He ran the blockade of the landlady's door without the formality of taking off his shoes.

Dashing into the room he exclaimed: "Count! Count, where are you ?" "Here I am," exclaimed a faint voice from the bed.
"Well, I'm glad you are not dead, we dine at the widow's to-day.

Look at this." The Count started up and gazed on the seventy-three cents Paul exhibited with eager eyes, then looking reproachfully at him he said: "Paul, I hope you have not taken to the highway." "No," said Paul, "I worked for that and hard too, so come on and we will have such a dinner as we have not had in two weeks." Under the genial influence of the banquet, the Count confessed to Paul that he had retired to bed in the hope of dying quietly of starvation, providing the landlady had not disturbed him as he felt convinced that Paul had abandoned him.

That night the landlady received one week's room rent and graciously gave them three days more to settle up in full.