rs of favour to be
shown them.

A'Dale, who was a well-practised London lad, and knew its ways
thoroughly, whispered to Ernst to produce only one of his coins at a
time, being very sure that the sub-warden would otherwise not grant them
any favour until he had possessed himself of the greater number. Ernst
accordingly at once placed a couple of marks in the warden's hands.

"There, Master Warden," he said; "we are unjustly brought in here; but
we would desire, while we remain, to enjoy such conveniences as the
place can afford."

"Of course, young masters, all who come hither consider themselves
brought here unjustly. You shall have an upper chamber, or at least a
portion of one, as perchance you may have companions, whence you can
enjoy a view of the Fleet river, and the barges passing up and down it.
Such bedding as many a dignitary of the Church has had to rest on, and
food from my own buttery. More, surely, you cannot desire; and, hark
you! these two marks are very well as a beginning, but I must see more
of them, or you will find your quarters and your fare changed pretty
speedily." The sub-warden having thus, as he said, examined his
prisoners, summoned the jailer to conduct them to the apartments he
indicated.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

DELIVERANCE.

Ernst and A'Dale were led through many passages, in which the air was
close and heavy, and their nostrils were assailed with many foul odours.
At length the jailer unlocked a door at the end of a long passage, and,
pointing to the inside of the room, told them they might walk in. With
sinking hearts they entered, and the man, without more ado, turned the
lock upon them.

The room was almost destitute of furniture, and dirty in the extreme,
evidently not having been cleaned out since its last occupant was
dismissed. In one corner was a truckle bed, covered with a cloth and a
pile of loose straw. There was a rickety table of rough boards, with
three legs, and a couple of stools of the same character. The window
was long and narrow, with bars across it; though a moderately stout man
could not have squeezed through, even had the bars been wanting. It was
only by standing on one of the stools they could look out of the window,
whence, as the warden had told them, they could see the muddy waters of
the Fleet flowing by, with Fleet Street beyond, winding its way to
Temple Bar.

"This is a scurvy place to put us in," observed A'Dale, "we who are
innocent of an