carriage, and carry you, and your kids, and your traps for six
hog?" And with this the monster dropped his hat, with my money in it,
and doubling his fist put it so very near my nose that I really thought
he would have made it bleed. "My fare's heighteen shillings," says he,
"hain't it?--hask hany of these gentlemen."

"Why, it ain't more than seventeen-and-six," says one of the fourteen
porters; "but if the gen'l'man IS a gen'l'man, he can't give no less
than a suffering anyhow."

I wanted to resist, and Jemmy screamed like a Turk; but, "Holloa!" says
one. "What's the row?" says another. "Come, dub up!" roars a third. And
I don't mind telling you, in confidence, that I was so frightened that
I took out the sovereign and gave it. My man and Jemmy's maid had
disappeared by this time: they always do when there's a robbery or a row
going on.

I was going after them. "Stop, Mr. Ferguson," pipes a young gentleman of
about thirteen, with a red livery waistcoat that reached to his ankles,
and every variety of button, pin, string, to keep it together. "Stop,
Mr. Heff," says he, taking a small pipe out of his mouth, "and don't
forgit the cabman."

"What's your fare, my lad?" says I.

"Why, let's see--yes--ho!--my fare's seven-and-thirty and eightpence
eggs--acly."

The fourteen gentlemen holding the luggage, here burst out and laughed
very rudely indeed; and the only person who seemed disappointed was,
I thought, the hackney-coachman. "Why, YOU rascal!" says Jemmy, laying
hold of the boy, "do you want more than the coachman?"

"Don't rascal ME, marm!" shrieks the little chap in return. "What's the
coach to me? Vy, you may go in an omlibus for sixpence if you like; vy
don't you go and buss it, marm? Vy did you call my cab, marm? Vy am I to
come forty mile, from Scarlot Street, Po'tl'nd Street, Po'tl'nd Place,
and not git my fare, marm? Come, give me a suffering and a half, and
don't keep my hoss avaiting all day." This speech, which takes some time
to write down, was made in about the fifth part of a second; and, at
the end of it, the young gentleman hurled down his pipe, and, advancing
towards Jemmy, doubled his fist, and seemed to challenge her to fight.

My dearest girl now turned from red to be as pale as white Windsor,
and fell into my arms. What was I to do? I called "Policeman!" but a
policeman won't interfere in Thames Street; robbery is licensed there.
What was I to do? Oh! my heart beats with paternal gratitud