THE HARD-UP. 49 



^bout half way^ lie tlirev/ up his head and cut it. ' It's 

 so sticky, sir,' says he, in a voice that seemed affected by 

 a cold he had caught the winter but one before last, 

 and never quite got rid of again— ^ It's so sticky, sir • I 

 must have a drop of water to finish him oft' with. ' " 



There was a tolerably loud laugh at the ^ poor b'y's' 

 expense ) and another drop of something-and-water being 

 ordered to drink his health, the open-hearted Billy pro- 

 ceeded : 



*^ However, down I went again to Chester Square, look- 

 ing deuced old, as you may fancy ; but I'll be shot if 

 that did'nt do it. I was ^looking quite steady' and 

 ^ altered' j and it was, ' William will have some tea V and 

 ' a glass of wine to Mr. William' j till at last, by Jupiter ! 

 the old ladies came to the conclusion that Her Majesty's 

 Government was over-working me, and that I wanted 

 some relaxation." 



'^ Heaven bless them ! " said the stout man, with a sigh ; 

 ^' couldn't you spare such an aunt, Billy — one out of two, 

 you know ?" 



" Not exactly. However, on they went, warming up 

 to the collar, till at last they proposed and seconded it 

 that ^ I ought to be taken somewhere that very evening.' 

 * Bravo ! Billy,' says I to myself, ^ surely the old 

 ladies will never be game enough to take you to the Mas- 

 querade, after all.' I daren't hint it, but there [ sat and 

 hoped. Carriage ordered. On I went with them — at 

 waiting orders, you know — keeping close up to their heads, 

 but never getting right in front ; and where do you think 

 they took me to, after all?" 



^' Can't say, I'm sure," replied the I-can-lay-it-you, 

 seeming as if he really was calculating what he ought to 

 offer about it. 



