h about twenty other children, of about the same age, of both
sexes. Here were several beds on the floor of the room, which was
spacious. In the centre were huddled together on the floor, round a
tallow candle, eight or ten of the inmates, two of them playing with a
filthy pack of cards, while the others looked over them: others were
lying down or asleep on the several beds. "This is my bed," said the
girl; "if you are tired you can turn in at once. I shan't go to bed
yet."

Joey was tired, and he went to bed; it was not very clean, but he had
been used to worse lodgings lately. It need hardly be observed that
Joey had got into very bad company, the whole of the inmates of the room
consisting of juvenile thieves and pickpockets, who in the course of
time obtain promotion in their profession, until they are ultimately
sent off to Botany Bay. Attempts have been made to check these
nurseries of vice: but pseudo-philanthropists have resisted such
barbarous innovation: and upon the Mosaic principle, that you must not
seethe the kid in the mother's milk, they are protected and allowed to
arrive at full maturity, and beyond the chance of being reclaimed, until
they are ripe for the penalties of the law.

Joey slept soundly, and when he awoke next morning found that his little
friend was not with him. He dressed himself; and then made another
discovery, which was, that every farthing of his money had been
abstracted from his pockets. Of this unpleasant fact he ventured to
complain to one or two boys, who were lying on other beds with their
clothes on; they laughed at him, called him a greenhorn, and made use of
other language, which at once let Joey know the nature of the company
with whom he had been passing the night. After some altercation, three
or four of them bundled him out of the room, and Joey found himself in
the street without a farthing, and very much inclined to eat a good
breakfast.

There is no portion of the world, small as it is in comparison with the
whole, in which there is more to be found to eat and to drink, more
comfortable lodgings, or accommodation and convenience of every kind,
than in the metropolis of England, provided you have the means to obtain
it; but notwithstanding this abundance, there is no place, probably,
where you will find it more difficult to obtain a portion of it, if you
happen to have an empty pocket.

Joey went into a shop here and there to ask for employment--he was
tu