ey followed his new friend down the street, until they came to the
very door to which he had carried the bundle. The sailor boy mounted
the stairs, and turning into the room at the first landing, Joey beheld
the woman whom he had assisted in the morning.

"Here he is, Mrs Chopper, and if he won't suit you, I don't know who
will," said the boy. "He's a regular scholar, and can sum up like
winkin'."

This character, given so gratuitously by his new acquaintance, made Joey
stare, and the woman looked hard into Joey's face.

"Well, now," said she, "where have I seen you before? Dear me! and _he
is_ like poor Peter, as you said, Jim; I vow he is."

"I saw you before to-day," replied Joey, "for I carried a bundle up for
you."

"And so you did, and would have no money for your trouble. Well, Jim,
he is like poor Peter."

"I told you so, old lady; ay, and he'll just do for you as well as Peter
did; but I'll leave you to settle matters, for I must be a-board."

So saying, the lad tipped a wink to Joey, the meaning of which our hero
did not understand, and went downstairs.

"Well, now, it's very odd; but do you know you are like poor Peter, and
the more I look at you the more you are like him: poor Peter! did you
hear how I lost him?"

"Yes, the sailor lad told me this morning."

"Poor fellow! he held on too fast; most people drown by not holding on
fast enough: he was a good boy, and very smart indeed; and so it was you
who helped me this morning when I missed poor Peter so much? Well, it
showed you had a good heart, and I love that; and where did you meet
with Jim Paterson?"

"I met him first in a slop-shop, as he calls it, when I was buying my
clothes."

"Well, Jim's a wild one, but he has a good heart, and pays when he can.
I've been told by those who know his parents, that he will have property
by-and-bye. Well, and what can you do? I am afraid you can't do all
Peter did."

"I can keep your accounts, and I can be honest and true to you."

"Well, Peter could not do more: are you sure you can keep accounts, and
sum up totals?"

"Yes, to be sure I can; try me."

"Well, then, I will: here is pen, ink, and paper. Well, you are the
very image of Peter, and that's a fact. Now write down beer, 8 pence;
tobacco, 4 pence; is that down?"

"Yes."

"Let me see: duck for trousers, 3 shillings, 6 pence; beer again, 4
pence; tobacco, 4 pence; is that down? Well, then, say beer again, 8
pence. Now sum that