as he had done before. He was passing down a mean street, when
from an alley close at hand some shouts of revelry arose, and there came
straggling forth a dozen madcaps, whooping and calling to each other,
who, parting noisily, took different ways and dispersed in smaller
groups.

Hoping that some low place of entertainment which would afford him a
safe refuge might be near at hand, he turned into this court when they
were all gone, and looked about for a half-opened door, or lighted
window, or other indication of the place whence they had come. It was
so profoundly dark, however, and so ill-favoured, that he concluded they
had but turned up there, missing their way, and were pouring out again
when he observed them. With this impression, and finding there was no
outlet but that by which he had entered, he was about to turn, when from
a grating near his feet a sudden stream of light appeared, and the sound
of talking came. He retreated into a doorway to see who these talkers
were, and to listen to them.

The light came to the level of the pavement as he did this, and a man
ascended, bearing in his hand a torch. This figure unlocked and held
open the grating as for the passage of another, who presently
appeared, in the form of a young man of small stature and uncommon
self-importance, dressed in an obsolete and very gaudy fashion.

'Good night, noble captain,' said he with the torch. 'Farewell,
commander. Good luck, illustrious general!'

In return to these compliments the other bade him hold his tongue, and
keep his noise to himself, and laid upon him many similar injunctions,
with great fluency of speech and sternness of manner.

'Commend me, captain, to the stricken Miggs,' returned the torch-bearer
in a lower voice. 'My captain flies at higher game than Miggses. Ha, ha,
ha! My captain is an eagle, both as respects his eye and soaring wings.
My captain breaketh hearts as other bachelors break eggs at breakfast.'

'What a fool you are, Stagg!' said Mr Tappertit, stepping on the
pavement of the court, and brushing from his legs the dust he had
contracted in his passage upward.

'His precious limbs!' cried Stagg, clasping one of his ankles. 'Shall a
Miggs aspire to these proportions! No, no, my captain. We will inveigle
ladies fair, and wed them in our secret cavern. We will unite ourselves
with blooming beauties, captain.'

'I'll tell you what, my buck,' said Mr Tappertit, releasing his leg;
'I'll trouble you no