"I say, Mrs Nash," said I, "my friend's coming to lodge here, please."

Mrs Nash eyed Jack suspiciously, and then said abruptly, "No room."

"Oh, bother! Can't he sleep with me, then?" I inquired.

"No," replied she, "he can't. It's not allowed."

"When will there be room?" Jack asked.

"Next week, may be."

"Oh, how jolly!" I exclaimed. "Then you will come, Jack, won't you?"

"How much is it?" inquired Jack of Mrs Nash.

"Three-and-six a week--in advance," said Mrs Nash; "no tick."

Jack pulled rather a long face.

"It'll be a tight fit," said he to me, "out of eight shillings a week."

"Oh, I can pay part," said I, too delighted at the prospect of Jack's
company to admit of any obstacle. "My uncle pays my lodging, you know,
so I have the eight shillings all to myself."

Jack, however, scouted the idea. After a little more parleying, to my
unspeakable joy he told Mrs Nash he would come next week. I begged
hard for him to be allowed to share my quarters in the meanwhile. The
landlady was inexorable, so we had to submit.

Jack took me a long stroll through the London streets that evening,
entertaining me with a description of his life as a grocer's shop-boy,
now happily at an end. I forbore to ask him any questions on the
mysterious subject of his home, and he of course never referred to it.
Our walk ended again at Beadle Square, where we parted for the night; he
to return to some poor lodging in a distant part of the town, I to take
part in the nine o'clock supper at Mrs Nash's.

I was rather nervous as I approached the parlour where were congregated
my fellow-lodgers, and heard the sound of their noisy voices and
laughter. I half repented that I had committed myself to sup on the
premises; it would have been so much less embarrassing to slip in just
at ten o'clock and go straight to bed. However, I was in for it now.

I opened the door and entered the room. The parlour was full of boys--
two dozen or more--of all ages, and engaged in all sorts of occupations.
Some lounged lazily in front of the fireplace, some were indulging in
rough horse-play in the corners, some were reading novels, some were
writing, some were talking, some were laughing.

As I entered, however, everybody suddenly ceased his occupation and
stared at me--everybody, that is, except the small group who were
skirmishing in the corner nearest the door. These, with the most
laudable presence of mind, took in my situati