ed with the velocity of his approach to hold his coat-tails in a
line steadily horizontal. In his right hand he carried a large slice
of his mother's home-made bread, spread with yellow plum jam; a
semicircular excision of the crumb made it plain that he had been
disturbed in his first mouthful. The crowd parted and he advanced to
the door; laid his slice of bread and jam upon the threshold; searched
in his fob pocket for the key; produced it; turned it in the lock;
picked up his bread and jam again; opened the door; took a bite; and
plunged into the choking clouds that immediately enveloped his person.

While the concourse waited, in absolute silence, the atmosphere of the
engine-house cleared as if by magic, and Mr. Wm. Freethy was visible
again in the converging rays of six bull's-eye lanterns held forward
by six members of the Fire Brigade. One hand still held the bread and
jam; the other grasped a stop-cock which he had that instant turned,
shutting off the outpour of steam we had taken for smoke. Some one
tittered; but the general laugh was prevented by a resounding splash.
The recoiling crowd had backed against the fire-engine outside, and
inadvertently thrust it over the Quay's edge into two fathoms of
water!

We left it there till the tide should turn, and forming into
procession, marched back through the streets. I never witnessed
greater enthusiasm. I do not believe Troy held a man, woman, or child
that did not turn out of doors to cheer and laugh. Presently a verse
sprang up:--

"_The smoke came out at Freethy's door,
An' down came Sullivan with his corps.
'My dears,' says Freethy,' don't 'ee pour!
For the smoke be steam an' nothin' more--
But what hav' 'ee done wi' the En-gine_?'"

And the firemen, by shouting it as heartily as the rest, robbed the
epigram of all its sting.

But the best of it, my dear Prince, was still to come. For at
half-past eight (that being the time of low water) a salvage corps
assembled and managed to drag the engine ashore by means of stout
tackle hitched round the granite pedestal that stands on Freethy's
Quay to commemorate the visit of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who
landed there on the 8th of September, 1846. The guise-dancers paraded
it through the streets until midnight, when they gave it over to the
carollers, who fed it with buckets; and as the poor machine was but
little damaged, brisk jets of water were made to salute the citizens'
windows simult