in due course. We happen to know the fact, for it came to our
knowledge thus: We went over the House of Correction for the county of
Middlesex shortly after, to witness the operation of the silent system;
and looked on all the 'wheels' with the greatest anxiety, in search of
our long-lost friend. He was nowhere to be seen, however, and we began
to think that the little gentleman in the green coat must have relented,
when, as we were traversing the kitchen-garden, which lies in a
sequestered part of the prison, we were startled by hearing a voice,
which apparently proceeded from the wall, pouring forth its soul in the
plaintive air of 'All round my hat,' which was then just beginning to
form a recognised portion of our national music.

We started.--'What voice is that?' said we. The Governor shook his head.

'Sad fellow,' he replied, 'very sad. He positively refused to work on
the wheel; so, after many trials, I was compelled to order him into
solitary confinement. He says he likes it very much though, and I am
afraid he does, for he lies on his back on the floor, and sings comic
songs all day!'

Shall we add, that our heart had not deceived us and that the comic
singer was no other than our eagerly-sought friend, the red cab-driver?

We have never seen him since, but we have strong reason to suspect that
this noble individual was a distant relative of a waterman of our
acquaintance, who, on one occasion, when we were passing the coach-stand
over which he presides, after standing very quietly to see a tall man
struggle into a cab, ran up very briskly when it was all over (as his
brethren invariably do), and, touching his hat, asked, as a matter of
course, for 'a copper for the waterman.' Now, the fare was by no means a
handsome man; and, waxing very indignant at the demand, he
replied--'Money! What for? Coming up and looking at me, I
suppose!'--'Vell, sir,' rejoined the waterman, with a smile of immovable
complacency, '_that's_ worth twopence.'

The identical waterman afterwards attained a very prominent station in
society; and as we know something of his life, and have often thought of
telling what we _do_ know, perhaps we shall never have a better
opportunity than the present.

Mr. William Barker, then, for that was the gentleman's name, Mr. William
Barker was born--but why need we relate where Mr. William Barker was
born, or when? Why scrutinise the entries in parochial ledgers, or seek
to penetrate the