vast sport to
a mob of small craft that gathered round, and the people in which
covered me with ridicule and abuse, calling me a Thames Bilk, and
advising the waterman to hold me over the side of the boat by the scruff
of the neck and give me a Ducking. I was in a great Quandary, and knew
not what to do.

Meanwhile the heavy wherry, which had kept close in our offing, pulled
almost on board of us, and the coxswain hailed us to know what was the
matter.

"Here's a Holiday Tailor that would seek to stump a poor waterman of his
fare," quoth the false scoundrel who was striving to rob me.

"'Tis a base lie!" I cried out; "I gave him a shilling at Westminster
stairs to row me to the Tower wharf."

"Fare's only fourpence. Shame! shame!" cried one part of the people in
the small craft.

"He's a Bilk," yelled another part of 'em. "Duck him, Goodman Crabs,
duck him."

"Stop," cries the coxswain of the wherry, standing up. "It _is_ a shame.
The poor fellow shan't be put upon. Here, young man, step on board this,
and we'll land you at the Tower wharf for nothing; and here, waterman,
take this shilling and be d--d to you, and sheer off before you can cry
Poor John."

The wherry by this time had got so close on our quarter that, thanking
the blue-frocked gentlemen for their politeness, I was able to step on
board the wherry without any difficulty. My thief of a waterman took the
shilling which was flung to him, and again sticking his tongue in his
cheek, and grinning in a more unblushing manner than before, pulled
away. The crowd in the small craft set up a cheer, that had more of
derision than approbation in it, and I once more heard the cry of "Blue
Bottles."

These Blue Bottles, however, were as good as their word, for five
minutes afterwards I was landed safe and sound at the Tower wharf. I
thanked them all very heartily; but, as I had not enough money to treat
them all, made bold to confess the narrowness of my means to the
coxswain, begging that he, at least, would do me the honour to take a
mug of flip--which could be had, double allowance, for fourpence. He
clapped me, in reply, on the shoulder in the most friendly manner, and
said, roast him, that he would not see me put upon; that I was evidently
a lad of mettle and spirit, and that I should go with him to the
"Admiral Benbow," on Little Tower Hill, close by, where he would himself
stand treat for as many mugs of flip or Punch as ever I liked.

He would take