sel, furnished with
an iron bar full of hooks, which was lowered down by a rope to catch
pieces of cordage, oakum, canvas or other articles, which might fall
overboard from the numerous vessels in the river; these were sold to the
marine stores, such as were kept by old Nanny. But, as I observed, this
was the _ostensible_ mode of livelihood; they had other resources, to
which I shall presently refer. An old man of the name of Jones, who
resided at Greenwich, was one of these mudlarkers by profession. He was
a surly old fellow, his sharp nose and chin nearly meeting, and he
usually went by the name of Old Grumble. I had occasionally assisted him
with his boat, but without receiving money, or indeed thanks, for my
pains, but for this I cared little. He was a very old man, and when he
came on shore and went up to old Nanny with the few things he had
collected during the day, I almost wondered how he could manage to
subsist, and thought myself infinitely better off than he was.

One evening he said to me, "Jack, I'm going up the river, I wish you'd
come in the boat and help me, and if I make anything I will give you
something for your trouble, but if I don't you can't expect it."

As he was very infirm I went with him, more out of charity than with any
hopes of profit. We pulled with the tide till we arrived a little above
Deptford, where several ships were lying, and he went close to one and
lowered down his grapnels. He dragged for a short time.

"Just you make a little further off, old fellow," cried the mate of the
vessel.

"Won't allow a poor old man to earn a few pence, I suppose," replied Old
Grumble, hauling up his grapnel and directing me to pull under the
bows, where he dropped it down again. I now perceived, as I thought,
some signs passing between him and one of the men in the head; but if
so, they were soon over, and Old Grumble continued his avocation till
the sun set.

"How long do you intend to remain here?" inquired I.

"Oh, not much longer, but I must wait a bit."

At last it was quite dark, and then Grumble pulled up his grapnel and
dropped down nearer to the cutwater of the vessel. I soon distinguished
a tinkling, as it were, of metal; and Old Grumble, holding up his hands,
received some sheets of copper, which were lowered down by a rope-yarn.
As soon as they were quietly landed in the stern of the boat, down came
a bag, which he cast off and laid beside the copper. I was all
astonishment, but s