referred, if you're so disposed."

"Whereabouts is it?" asked Mr Sparks of the shopman, regardless of the
boy.

"Round the corner to your right, and after that second turning to your
left."

"Oh, that's all wrong," cried the boy. "W'y, 'ow should 'ee know
hanythink about streets? Never goes nowheres, does nothink but sell
snuff an' pigtail, mornin', noon, and night. 'Ee should have said,
_right_ round the corner to your right, and 'ee should have added `sir,'
for that's right w'en a gen'l'm'n's spoke to, arter w'ich, w'en you've
left this 'ere street, take second turnin' to your left, if you're
left-'anded, an' then you come hall right. That's 'ow 'ee ought to have
said it, sir."

In the midst of this flow of information, Mr Sparks emerged into the
street.

"I'll show you the way for love, sir, if you ain't got no money," said
the boy in a tone of mock sincerity, stepping up and touching his cap.

"Let 'im alone, Bloater," cried another and smaller boy, "don't you see
ee's one of the swell mob, an' don't want to 'ave too much attention
drawed to him?"

"No 'ee ain't, Little Jim, ee's only a gen'l'm'n in disguise," replied
the Bloater, sidling up to Mr Sparks, and urgently repeating, "show you
the way for a copper, sir, _only_ a copper."

Mr Sparks, being, as we have said, an irascible man, and particularly
out of humour that evening, did not vouchsafe a reply, but, turning
suddenly round, gave the Bloater a savage kick that turned him head over
heels into the road.

The Bloater, whose proper name was Robert Herring, from which were
derived the aliases, Raw Herring and the Bloater, immediately recovered
himself and rushed at Mr Sparks with his broom. He was a strong,
resolute, passionate boy, yet withal good-humoured and placable. In the
first burst of indignation he certainly meant to commit a violent
assault, but he suddenly changed his mind. Perhaps the look and
attitude of his antagonist had something to do with the change; perhaps
the squeaky voice of Little Jim, shouting "hooray, Bloater, go in an'
win," may have aroused his sense of the ludicrous, which was very
strong, and helped to check him. At all events, instead of bringing his
broom down on the head of Mr Sparks, Bloater performed an impromptu
war-dance round him and flourished his weapon with a rapidity that was
only surpassed by the rapid flow of his language.

"Now then, Gunpowder, come on; wot do you mean by it--eh? You
low-minded