ech, saying--

"Black Jowler!"

"Black Towzer, for a spade Guinea!" my companion made answer; and in
another moment there came bounding towards us another fellow in the same
blackened masquerade as he, and with another Lantern. He had with him,
besides, a shaggy hound that smelt me suspiciously and prowled round me,
growling low, I shivering the whiles.

"What have we here?" asked the Second Black; for I made no doubt now but
that my Company were of that Confederacy.

"Kid loose," replied he who was to take me to supper. "Given the keepers
the slip, and run down by Billy Boys' park. Aha!" and he whispered to
his comrade ruffian.

Out went the Lanterns again, and he who answered to the name of Jowler
tightened his grasp, and bade me for a young Tyburn Token quicken my
pace. So we walked and walked again, poor I as sore as a pilgrim
tramping up the Hill to Louth--which I have many times seen in those
parts--with Shards in his shoes. Then it must come, forsooth, to more
whistling; and the same Play being over, we had one more Lantern to our
Band, and one more Scurvy Companion as Black as a Flag,[K] who in their
kennel Tongue was Mungo. And by and by we were joined by Surly, and
Black Tom, and Grumps; and so with these five Men, who were pleased to
be called as the Beasts are, I stumbled along, tired, and drowsy, and
famishing, and thinking my journey would never come to an end.

Surely it must have been long past midnight when we made a halt; and all
the five lanterns being lit, and making so many dancing wheels of
yellow, I found that we were still encircled by those tall trees with
the twining arms. And Jowler--for it is useless to speak of my conductor
according to Human Rule--gave me a rough pat on the shoulder, and bade
me cheer up, for that I should have my supper very soon now. All five
then joined in a whistle so sharp, so clear, and so well sustained, that
it sounded well-nigh melodious; and to this there came, after the lapse
of a few seconds, the noise as of a little peevish Terrier barking.

"True as Touchwood," cried Black Jowler. "In, Billy Boys, and hey for
fat and flagons."

With this he takes me by the shoulders, telling me to fear naught, and
spend my money like a gentleman, and bundles me before him till we came
to something hard as board. This I presently found was a door; and in
an instant I was in the midst of a kind of Tavern parlour, all lighted
up with great candles stuck into lumps of cla