“Those fellows don’t know when they’ve had enough,” he said, “and somebody ought to keep a level head on his shoulders to look out for them.”

Rex’s heart sank within him.  And it was for this that he had spent the money he had been saving for his mother’s birthday gift! for this he had deceived this mother! for this told those falsehoods to Roy!

“Are you fellows ready for another round?” called out Stout, looking over at them.  “Slip up to the captain’s office and get a settler.”

His voice already began to sound thick.

“We must go and pretend to join them,” Atkins whispered.

So glasses were filled for the third time, and on this occasion Atkins retired with Rex to the other side of the room, and watching his opportunity, poured his punch into the water pitcher.  Rex, in trying to do likewise, let slip the glass, and it fell with a crash into the basin.

A roar of laughter greeted the incident.

“Good for you, Pell,” cried Tom Cheever.  “Trying to infuse a little life into the party.  That’s right, my boy, that’s right.”

The fellow came over toward Rex, walking a little unsteadily, and with such a leer in his eye that Rex shrank back against the wall.

At that moment Harrington came up and put his arm around Rex’s neck.

“I always said that Reggie Pell was a gentleman,” he mumbled.  “Now you can see it for yourselves.”

“And his clothes fit him,” added Dan Tilford, as a special mark of approval.

“Oh, they imagine they’re having no end of sport,” whispered Atkins.  “Look at Harrington.  He’s half seas over, too.”

He was so far over, indeed, that he was very ill for a time.  It was a fearful scene.

“Here, Pell,” Atkins called to him from the bed where he had gone to look after Cheever.  “See what you can do for your friend.”

And Rex went over to Harrington and tried to pilot him to a seat.  Then he held the other’s head and shut his eyes, while he wondered if there was ever such a donkey on the face of the earth as he, Reginald Pell, to do all that he had done for this.

If it hadn’t been close on to midnight he would have gone home there and then.  But now Harrington was well nigh helpless, and Rex knew nothing about New York.  Where was he going to sleep that night?  Harrington was in no condition to have questions put to him now.

A fixed look came over Rex’s face.

“I must go now,” he said, looking around for his hat and valise.

“What, you’re not going off and leave Harrington, are you?” asked Atkins.

“I can’t do anything more for him and I must get out of this place.  Perhaps I’ll call in the morning to see how he is.  Good night.  I’m much obliged to you.”

“Well, I suppose you are better off out of here, but aren’t you going to hire a room in the hotel?”

“No, I want to get as far away from the place as possible.”