down to
unfinished skeletons with the bricks falling out--foundations just above
the ground, foundations merely dug, to end only with a few scaffold
poles, and a brick-field in frill work.

"Stops right in front of a public, yer do," said the driver; "and me as
thirsty as a sack o' sawdust."

The cabman looked at the public-house, to read golden announcements of
"Tipkin's Entire," of "The Celebrated Fourpenny Ale," and the "Brown
London Stout, threepence per pot in your own jugs," and his whip-hand
was drawn across his lips. Then the whip-hand was set free, and forced
its way into his pockets, where it rattled some halfpence.

"Must have 'alf pint now, anyhow," he muttered, and he made as if to
fasten the reins to the roof of the cab, but only to plump himself down
into his seat again, jig the reins, and give his whip, a sharp crack.

"I'll tell the missus on you, Hatty, see if I don't?" he said, "a-trying
to get your master back into his old ways. Get on with yer, or yer'll
get it directly."

He gave his whip such a vigorous crack in the air that Ratty consented
to go, and dragging the muddy cab partially down the new street, its
driver pulled up by where a knot of shoeless boys were ornamenting, and
amusing themselves with, the new ill-laid pavement. One was standing
like a small Colossus of Rhodes, with his grimy feet at either corner of
a loose slab, making the liquid mud beneath squirt out into a puddle,
while a companion carefully turned a naked foot into a stamp, dipped it
in the mud, and printed a pattern all along the pave, till a third
smudged it out, and a fight ensued.

"Hallo, yer young dogs," roared the cabman, and his long whip gave a
crack which stopped the fray; "a-fightin' like that! Where's Whaley's
Place?"

"First turn to the left, and first to the right," shouted two boys.

"And is it all like this here?" said the cabman.

"No; you should have gone round Brick Street. I'll show yer."

"Hook on, then," said the cabman, turning his horse; and, to the extreme
envy of his companions, the little speaker "hooked on" behind, his muddy
feet slipping about on the step; but he clung fast, shouting his
directions till the driver reached the main road, made a detour, and
arrived at last in Whaley's Place, where the present of a copper sent
the boy off in high glee to spend it in some coveted luxury.

"Nice sorter cheerful spot this," said the cabman, taking an
observation of the street, which