on, as he evidently carefully extended one foot and then
drew the other up to join it.

"Where are you?" cried Oliver at last, for the steps were now very
close, and his voice, like the man's, sounded strange and confused by
the repetitions from roof, wall, and water.

"Clost here!"

"Hold out your hand," cried Oliver, as he extended his own. "Ha!
That's good," he said, with his heart leaping for joy at the warm strong
grasp he received. "Thank Heaven you are safe!"

"Thank-ye, Mr Oliver Lane, sir. But my word it are black, Hold of a
coalin' screw's nothing to it."

"Where were you?" said Oliver, as he clung to the man's hand.

"Oh, clost along here by the waterside, sir."

"But did you fall in? No; you are not wet."

"Oh, no, sir, I never fell. I'm dry enough."

"Then how came you to hang behind, and cause all this trouble and
alarm?"

"'Cause company's good, they says, if you're going to be hanged; and as
you wasn't, sir, I 'adn't the 'art to let you stop all alone here in the
dark."

"Why, it isn't Wriggs, then?"

"Nay, sir, that's for sartin, I on'y wish as how it was."

"Why, Smith, my good fellow! Then you stopped back to keep me company?"

"That's so, sir, and I thought it would be best. You see it'll be bad
enough for two on us to wait, but for one all alone in a coal-cellar
like this, it's too horful I says to myself, and so I just hung back,
and here I am, sir."

"Oh, Smith, my good fellow!" cried Oliver, who felt moved at the man's
act.

"It's all right, sir. You and me can talk about birds as you've
skinned, and about some o' those tomtit and sparrer things as I've seen
about, and meant to shoot for yer some day. And when we're tired o'
that, we can ask riddles and sing a song or two, or play at chucking one
stone at another, or into the water. It won't be so much like being all
alone in the coal-cellar, shut up for a naughty boy as I used to be when
I was a little 'un."

"Smith, I can never feel grateful enough for this," cried Oliver.

"Gammon, sir; Pretty sort of a chap I should be if I hadn't ha' been
ready to stop and keep a gent like you comp'ny a bit. Don't you say no
more about that there, sir."

"I must, Smith, I must," said Oliver, huskily.

"Then I shall be off till you've done, sir; and you'll have to say it to
the heckers as allus answers, `Where'?"

Oliver pressed the man's hand, and Smith gave a sigh of relief.

"Any use to offer you a bit o' good pig-ta