the speech of Lavinia Bull, the chambermaid, what I know right well;
but if I'm not at Mrs Hurd's by six o'clock, she'll be flying at me
like a wild cat. Mercy on me, there it goes six! Well, if that fine
dandy, Boots, as is puffed up like a peacock, won't heed you, ask for
Lavinia Bull, and say Mrs Callendar sent you, and he will call her fast
enough."

John thanked her and was going off at once, but she called out, "Bless
the boy, he's off without even hearing where to go! Just opposite the
City Cross, as they calls it."

It was not much like a cross to Johnnie's mind, being a sort of tower,
all arches and pinnacles and mouldered statues, getting smaller up to
the spiring top; but he knew it, and saw the hotel opposite with all its
blinds down, nothing like astir yet, except that some one was about
under the great open doorway leading into a yard, half entrance, to the
hotel.

He could see a man brushing a shoe, and went up with "Please, sir--" But
he was met by, "Get off you young vagabond, we want none of your sort
here."

"Please, sir, I have a message for Miss Bull;" he hesitated.

"She ain't down. Get off, I say. We don't have no idle lads here."

"It's very particular--from Mrs Callendar."

"Old witch! Have she been burning any one's shirt fronts. I say, Jem,
you see if Lavinia is in the kitchen, and tell her old Callendar has
been burning holes in her stockings or collars, and has sent a young
scarecrow to tell her."

John opened his mouth to say it was no such thing; but the under
shoeblack, who was a sort of slave to Boots, made an ugly face at him,
and was gone, turning coach wheels across the yard. In another minute
Lavinia, a nice brisk looking young woman, had come up with, "Well,
young man, what has Mrs Callendar been after now?"

"Please, ma'am, nothing; but she said as how I was to ask for you. It's
for Captain Carbonel, ma'am, a message from Uphill--that's his home."

"Captain Carbonel--that's Number Seven," she said, consulting a slate
that hung near the bar. "He was to be called at eight o'clock. Won't
that do?"

"Oh no, no, ma'am," implored John, thinking that the captain was taking
his rest away from home. "It's very particular, and I have come all
night with it."

"You have got to call Number Five for the High Flier at half-past six,"
she said, turning to Boots. "Could not you take up word at the same
time?"

"Catch me running errands for a jackanapes like that," sai