his talents to the care of his
morals and the benefit of his country."

"You have been ciphering for some time," said Boh, "and I suppose you
have now finished your sum."

"I confess," continued Tom, "it has been a puzzling one--for, to make
something out of nothing is impossible."

"Not in all cases," said Bob.

"How so?--why you have proved it by your own shewing, that these
nothings are to be made something of."

~227~~"I perceive," replied Tom, "that your acquaintance with Sparkle is
not thrown away upon you; and it argues well, for if you are so ready
a pupil at imbibing his lessons, you will soon become a proficient
in London manners and conversation; but a Cipher is like a _round
robin_,{1} it has neither beginning nor end: its centre is vacancy,
its circle ambiguity, and it stands for nothing, unless in certain
connections."

They were now proceeding gently along Oxford Street, in pursuit of their
way to Soho Square, and met with little worthy of note or remark until
they arrived near the end of Newman Street, where a number of workmen
were digging up the earth for the purpose of making new-drains. The
pathway was railed from the road by scaffolding poles strongly driven
into the ground, and securely tied together to prevent interruption from
the passengers.--Tom was remarking upon the hardihood and utility of
the labourers at the moment when a fountain of water was issuing from
a broken pipe, which arose as high as a two pair of stairs window, a
circumstance which quickly drew a number of spectators around, and,
among the rest, Tom and his Cousin could not resist an inclination to
spend a few minutes in viewing the proceedings.

The Irish _jontlemen_, who made two or three ineffectual attempts to
stop the breach, alternately got soused by the increased violence of
the water, and at every attempt were saluted by the loud laughter of the
surrounding multitude.

To feelings naturally warm and irritable, these vociferations of
amusement and delight at their defeat, served but to exasperate and
enrage; and the Irishmen in strong terms expressed their indignation
at the merriment which their abortive attempts appeared to excite:
at length, one of the _Paddies_ having cut a piece of wood, as he
conceived, sufficient to stop the effusion of water, with some degree
of adroitness thrust his arm into the foaming fluid, and for a moment
appeared to have arrested its progress.

"_Blood-an-owns!_ Murphy," cried h