the end of
the street just before he turned the corner and disappeared."

"Imp'rence!" exclaimed the cook.

"Naughty, ungrateful boy!" said Mrs Screwbury.

"But it was plucky of him," said Jessie Summers.

"I would call it cheeky," said Balls, "I can't think what put it into
his head to go on so."

If Mr Balls had followed Bobby Frog in spirit, watched his subsequent
movements, and listened to his remarks, perhaps he might have understood
the meaning of his conduct a little better.

After he had turned the corner of the street, as above mentioned, Bobby
trotted on for a short space, and then, coming to a full stop, executed
a few steps of the minstrel dance, at the end of which he brought his
foot down with tremendous emphasis on the pavement, and said--

"Yes, I've bin an' done it. I know'd I was game for a good deal, but I
did _not_ think I was up to that. One never knows wot 'e's fit for till
'e tries. Wot'll Hetty think, I wonder?"

What Hetty thought he soon found out, for he overtook her on the Thames
embankment on her way home. Bobby was fond of that route, though a
little out of his way, because he loved the running water, though it
_was_ muddy, and the sight of steamers and barges.

"Well, Bobby," she said, laying her hand on his shoulder, "where have
you been?"

"To see old Swallow'd-the-poker, Hetty."

"What took you there?" asked the girl in surprise.

"My legs. You don't suppose I've set up my carriage yet, do you?"

"Come, you know what I mean."

"Vell, then, I went because I was sent for, an' wot d'ye think? the old
gen'l'man hoffered me the sitivation of under-gardener!"

"You don't say so! Oh! Bobby, what a lucky boy--an' what a kind
gentleman! Tell me all about it now," said Hetty, pressing her hand
more tenderly on her brother's shoulder. "What wages is he to give
you?"

"No wages wotsomever."

Hetty looked into her brother's face with an expression of concerned
surprise. She knew some tradespeople who made her work hard for so very
little, that it was not difficult to believe in a gentleman asking her
brother to work for nothin'! Still she had thought better of Sir
Richard, and expected to hear something more creditable to him.

"Ah, you may look, but I do assure you he is to give me no wages, an'
I'm to do no work."

Here Bobby executed a few steps of his favourite dance, but evidently
from mere habit, and unconsciously, for he left off in the middle, and
seemed