of, and make him all the more ready to try
to get back my friendship.

Doubleday, when I told him of my plan for the day, snuffed up at it in
no very pleasant way. But then he had always been jealous of Hawkesbury
since giving up the petty-cash to his charge.

"All I can say is," said he, "_I'd_ think twice about going with that
party, and I'm not so very particular. I suppose you never met Mr
Masham, did you?"

"No," said I.

"Ah!" he replied, laughing, "you'll find him a very nice boy; just a
little too strait-laced for me, but he'll suit you."

I could not make out whether this was in jest or earnest; in any case, I
put it down to the petty-cash, and thought it a pity Doubleday should be
so put out by a trifle.

"What are you going to do?" I asked him.

"Oh! I'm going to do my best to be cheerful in a mild way," said he,
"down the river. It's a good job Hawkesbury's booked you, my boy, for I
meant to ask you to join us, and that would have done you out of your
quiet day with Petty-Cash and his friends, which would be a pity."

The Monday came at last, and opened perfectly. My spirits rose as I
looked out and saw the blue cloudless sky overhead, and thought of the
trees, and birds, and flowers, and country air I was so soon to be
among.

I was to meet my party at the Horseshoe stables in the City, and thither
I repaired in good time, in my smartest get-up, and with a shilling
plum-cake under my arm, which I had made up my mind to take as my
contribution to the commissariat of the expedition. I passed Style
Street on my way, and came in for hilarious greeting from Billy.

"Hi! shine 'e boots, governor? My eye, there's a nob! Shine 'e all
over, governor. Ain't you got 'em on, though? What's up, mister?"

"See you again soon, Billy," said I, bustling on. I was angry with him
for the way he laughed, and for the description of me I knew quite well
he would presently give to Jack Smith.

Early as I was at the rendezvous, Hawkesbury was before me, and with him
his friend Masham. The latter was a queer-looking fellow of about
thirty. He was pale and dark round the eyes, like a person who hadn't
slept for a week. His lips were large and red, and the lower part of
his face a good deal too big for the upper. Altogether Mr Masham was
neither a very healthy nor a very prepossessing-looking specimen; but
Hawkesbury had told me he was clever and very amusing, so I supposed I
oughtn't to judge by appear