rong-looking
door; then taking a big key out of her pocket, she opened it, and told
us to go through. Carefully closing the door behind her, she led the
way along a narrow dark passage. It seemed of considerable length. At
last we reached another door, and emerged into a court or alley,
crossing which she opened a third door, and told us to pass through. We
obeyed, and followed her past a couple of rooms, in one of which several
men were sitting, drinking and smoking. Unlocking another door, she
showed us into a much larger apartment than any we had as yet seen.
Though low, it was spacious enough to be called a hall I took in the
appearance of the place at a glance. On one side was a recess with a
counter before it, at which a couple of damsels were serving out liquors
and various sorts of provisions. At the further end, four large casks
supported some planks which served as a platform, and on this a chair
was placed,--the seat being evidently for a musician. Three doors
besides the one by which we had entered opened from the room, which was
occupied by a dozen or more rough-looking men, mostly sailors. Some
were standing at the counter, others lounging on benches round the
walls, most of them having dhudeens in their mouths. The place was
redolent with the fumes of whisky and tobacco. No one took notice of us
as we entered, but, seeing Mother McCleary, seemed satisfied that all
was right.

"You'll find a stair through that doorway," she said, pointing to one
near the orchestra, if so it could be called; "it will lead you to the
sleeping-room, where you'll be after finding some beds. You'll remember
that first come first served, and if you don't be tumbling into one it
will be your own fault, and you'll have to prick for the softest plank
in the corner of the room. Now, boys, you'll be after handing me out a
couple of shillings each. I don't give credit, except to those I happen
to know better than I do you."

I paid the money at once for Larry and myself. The old woman, bidding
us make ourselves at home, returned by the way she had come, locking the
door behind her. I soon found that we were among as ruffianly and
disreputable a set of fellows as I had ever fallen in with, but none of
them interfered with us, and I began to doubt whether we should obtain
the information we were in search of. To try to get into conversation
with some one, we walked up to the counter, took a pork pie apiece, and
called