to mine:
Here's King George the First! a long reign to him! and confusion to the
Popish Pretender and his adherents!"

"Bravely done!" said Wood, with tears in his eyes.

"That's the kinchin as was to try the dub for us, ain't it?" muttered
Smith to his companion as he stole a glance at Jack Sheppard.

"Silence!" returned Jackson, in a deep whisper; "and don't muddle your
brains with any more of that Pharaoh. You'll need all your strength to
grab him."

"What's the matter?" remarked Kneebone, addressing Sheppard, who, as he
caught the single but piercing eye of Jackson fixed upon him, started
and trembled.

"What's the matter?" repeated Mrs. Wood in a sharp tone.

"Ay, what's the matter, boy!" reiterated Jackson sternly. "Did you never
see two gentlemen with only a couple of peepers between them before!"

"Never, I'll be sworn!" said Smith, taking the opportunity of filling
his glass while his comrade's back was turned; "we're a nat'ral
cur'osity."

"Can I have a word with you, master?" said Sheppard, approaching Wood.

"Not a syllable!" answered the carpenter, angrily. "Get about your
business!"

"Thames!" cried Jack, beckoning to his friend.

But Darrell averted his head.

"Mistress!" said the apprentice, making a final appeal to Mrs. Wood.

"Leave the room instantly, sirrah!" rejoined the lady, bouncing up, and
giving him a slap on the cheek that made his eyes flash fire.

"May I be cursed," muttered Sheppard, as he slunk away with (as the
woollen-draper pleasantly observed) 'a couple of boxes in charge,' "if
ever I try to be honest again!"

"Take a little toasted cheese with the swig, Mr. Smith," observed Wood.
"That's an incorrigible rascal," he added, as Sheppard closed the door;
"it's only to-day that I discovered--"

"What?" asked Jackson, pricking up his ears.

"Don't speak ill of him behind his back, father," interposed Thames.

"If _I_ were your father, young gentleman," returned Jackson, enraged at
the interruption, "I'd teach _you_ not to speak till you were spoken
to."

Thames was about to reply, but a glance from Wood checked him.

"The rebuke is just," said the carpenter; "at the same time, I'm not
sorry to find you're a friend to fair play, which, as you seem to know,
is a jewel. Open that bottle with a blue seal, my dear. Gentlemen! a
glass of brandy will be no bad finish to our meal."

This proposal giving general satisfaction, the bottle circulated
swiftly; and Smith found