as not before
you, that's sartin; and he knocked himself down in the mud before ever
I spoke to him, that's all I know about it--but he don't seem to
understand the navigation of our parts."

"I don't wonder at that," replied Tom; "for he was never here before in
his life--but there is no harm done, is there?"

"None," replied Bob; "all's right again now--so proceed."

"Nay," replied the unknown, "all's not right yet; for if as how this
is your first appearance in the shades below, it is but fair you should
come down."

"Down," said Bob, "why I have been down--you knock'd me down."

"Well, never mind, my master, I have set you on your pins again; and
besides that, I likes you very well, for you're down as a hammer, and
up again like a watch-box--but to my thinking a drap o'somut good would
revive you a little bit; and I should like to drink with you--for you
ought to pay your footing."

"And so he shall," continued Tom--"So come along, my lad."

By this time Bob had an opportunity of discovering that the person he
had thus unfortunately encountered, was no other than a stout raw-boned
coalheaver, and that the noise he had heard was occasioned by his
sticking his pointed coal-shovel in the earth, with intention to help
him up after his fall. Pursuing their way, and presently turning to the
right, Bob was suddenly delighted by being brought from utter darkness
into marvellous light, presenting a view of the river, with boats and
barges passing and repassing with their usual activity.

"What place is this?" inquired Tallyho.

~207~~~ "Before you," replied his Cousin, "is the River Thames; and
in the front you will find wharfs and warehouses for the landing and
housing of various merchandize, such as coals, fruit, timber, &c.: we
are now under the Adelphi Terrace, where many elegant and fashionable
houses are occupied by persons of some rank in society; these streets,
lanes, and subterraneous passages, have been constructed for the
convenience of conveying the various articles landed here into the main
streets of the metropolis, and form as it were a little world under
ground."

"And no bad world neither," replied the coalheaver, who upon inspection
proved to be no other than Bob Martlet, whom they had met with as one
of the _heavy wet_ party at Charley's Crib--"For there is many a family
lives down here, and gets a good bit of bread too; what does it signify
where a man gets his bread, if he has but an honest a