at the wharf. Old Tom gave his consent, and it was
agreed he should meet me next morning at daylight.

"I've a notion there'll be some fun, Jacob," said he, "from what you
say."

"I think so, too; but you've towed me two miles, and I must be off
again, or I shall lose my dinner; so good-bye;" I selected two other
wherries in the course of the afternoon, and then returned home.

It was a lovely morning when Tom and I washed out the boat, and, having
dressed ourselves in our neatest clothes, we shoved off in company with
the two other wherries, and dropped leisurely down the river with the
last of the ebb. When we pulled in to the stairs at Whitehall, we found
two men waiting for us with three or four hampers, some baskets, an iron
saucepan, a frying-pan, and a large tin pail with a cover, full of rough
ice to cool the wines. We were directed to put all these articles into
one boat; the others to be reserved for the company.

"Jacob," said Tom, "don't let us be kitchen; I'm togged out for the
parlour."

This point had just been arranged, and the articles put into the wherry,
when the party made their appearance, Mr Tinfoil acting as master of
the ceremonies.

"Fair Titania," said he to the lady who appeared to demand, and
therefore received, the most attention, "allow me to hand you to your
throne."

"Many thanks, good Puck," replied the lady; "we are well placed; but
dear me, we haven't brought, or we have lost, our vinaigrette; we
positively cannot go without it. What can our women have been about?"

"Pease-blossom and Mustard-seed are much to blame," replied Tinfoil;
"but shall I run back for it?"

"Yes," replied the lady, "and be here again ere the leviathan can swim a
league."

"I'll put a girdle round the earth in forty minutes," replied the
gentleman, stepping out of the boat.

"Won't you be a little out of breath before you come back, sir?" said
Tom, joining the conversation.

This remark, far from giving offence, was followed by a general laugh.
Before Mr Tinfoil was out of sight, the lost vinaigrette was dropped
out of the lady's handkerchief; he was therefore recalled; and the whole
of the party being arranged in the two boats, we shoved off; the third
boat, in which the provender had been stowed, followed us, and was
occupied by the two attendants, a call-boy and scene-shifter, who were
addressed by Tinfoil as Caliban and Stephano.

"Is all our company here?" said a pert-looking, little p