ittle monster called
Tommy." The clergyman looked after her half in sadness, half
sarcastically; he was thinking that he had discovered a monster also.

At present the body of the hall was empty, but its sides were lively
with gorging boys, among whom ladies moved, carrying platefuls of good
things. Most of them were sweet women, fighting bravely for these boys,
and not at all like Shovel's patroness, who had come for a sensation.
Tommy falling into her hands, she got it.

Tommy, who had a corner to himself, was lolling in it like a little
king, and he not only ordered roast-beef for the awe-struck Shovel, but
sent the lady back for salt. Then he whispered, exultantly: "Quick,
Shovel, feel my pocket" (it bulged with two oranges), "now the inside
pocket" (plum-duff), "now my waistcoat pocket" (threepence); "look in my
mouth" (chocolates).

When Shovel found speech he began excitedly: "I love my dear father and
my dear--"

"Gach!" said Tommy, interrupting him contemptuously. "Repenting ain't no
go, Shovel. Look at them other coves; none of them has got no money, nor
full pockets, and I tell you, it's 'cos they has repented."

"Gar on!"

"It's true, I tells you. That lady as is my one, she's called her
ladyship, and she don't care a cuss for boys as has repented," which of
course was a libel, her ladyship being celebrated wherever paragraphs
penetrate for having knitted a pair of stockings for the deserving poor.

"When I saw that," Tommy continued, brazenly, "I bragged 'stead of
repenting, and the wuss I says I am, she jest says, 'You little
monster,' and gives me another orange."

"Then I'm done for," Shovel moaned, "for I rolled off that 'bout loving
my dear father and my dear mother, blast 'em, soon as I seen her."

He need not let that depress him. Tommy had told her he would say it,
but that it was all flam.

Shovel thought the ideal arrangement would be for him to eat and leave
the torking to Tommy. Tommy nodded. "I'm full, at any rate," he said,
struggling with his waistcoat. "Oh, Shovel, I _am_ full!"

Her ladyship returned, and the boys held by their contract, but of the
dark character Tommy seems to have been, let not these pages bear the
record. Do you wonder that her ladyship believed him? On this point we
must fight for our Tommy. You would have believed him. Even Shovel, who
knew, between the bites, that it was all whoppers, listened as to his
father reading aloud. This was because another boy p