se on the waterside at Blackfriars! It was a crazy old
house with a wharf of its own, but rotting with dirt and age. Their trade
was among many kinds of people, chiefly supplying wines and spirits to
certain packet ships. My work was pasting labels on full bottles, or
fitting corks to them, or sealing the corks, and the work was not half so
distasteful as were my companions, far below me in birth and education.
The oldest of the regular boys was named Mick Walker, and another boy in
my department, on account of his complexion, was called Mealy Potatoes. No
words can express the secret agony of my soul as I sunk into this
companionship, and thought sadly of Traddles, Steerforth, and those other
boys, whom I felt sure would grow up to be great men.

I lodged with a Mr. Micawber who lived in Windsor Terrace. My pay at the
warehouse was six shillings a week. I provided my own breakfast and kept
bread and cheese to eat at night. Also, child that I was,--sometimes I
could not resist pastry cakes and puddings in the shop windows, all of
which made a large hole in my six shillings. From Monday to Saturday I had
no advice, no encouragement or help of any kind. I worked with common men
and boys, a shabby child. I lounged about the streets, insufficiently and
unsatisfactorily fed. But for the mercy of God, I might easily have been,
for any care that was taken of me, a little robber or a little vagabond.
Yet they were kind to me at the warehouse and that I suffered and was
miserably unhappy, no one noticed. I concealed the fact even from Peggotty
(partly for love of her, and partly for shame).

I did my work not unskilfully, and though perfectly familiar with my
companions, my conduct and manner placed a space between us and I was
usually spoken of as the "little Gent." In my desolate condition, I became
really attached to the Micawbers, and when they experienced reverses of
fortune, and Mr. Micawber was carried off to the Debtors' Prison, I did
all that I could for them, and remained with Mrs. Micawber in lodgings
near the prison. But I plainly saw that a parting was near at hand, as it
was the Micawbers' intention to leave London as soon as Mr. Micawber could
free himself. So keen was my dread of lodging with new people, added to
the misery of my daily life at the warehouse, that I could not endure the
thought, and finally I made a resolution. I would run away!

Many times in the old days, my mother had told me the story of my on