en leg, and carried the cask; while his comrade, who had the use of
both his pins, bore him upon his shoulders, and, complaining of the
weight, the other replied:--"Och! thin, Paddy, what's the bothuration; if
you carry me, don't I carry the whiskey, sure, and that's fair and
aqual!" and I at once declined any such Hibernian partnership in the
affair, quite resolved that he should bear the whole onus upon his own
shoulders.

CHAPTER, VII.--The Cricket Match

"Out! so don't fatigue yourself, I beg, sir."

I soon discovered that my conduct had been reported in the most
favourable colours to Mr. Timmis, and the consequence was that he began
to take more notice of me.

"Andrew, what sort of a fist can you write?" demanded he. I shewed him
some caligraphic specimens.

"D___ me, if your y's and your g's hav'nt tails like skippingropes. We
must have a little topping and tailing here, and I think you'll do. Here,
make out this account, and enter it in the book."

He left me to do his bidding; and when he returned from the
Stock-Exchange, inspected the performance, which I had executed with
perspiring ardour.

I watched his countenance. "That'll do--you're a brick! I'll make a man
of you--d___ me."

From this day forward I had the honour of keeping his books, and making
out the accounts. I was already a person of importance, and certainly
some steps above the boys on the landing.

I did not, however, obtain any advance in my weekly wages; but on
"good-days" got a douceur, varying from half a crown to half a sovereign!
and looked upon myself as a made man. Most of the receipts went to my
father; whatever he returned to me I spent at a neighbouring book-stall,
and in the course of twelve months I possessed a library of most amusing
and instructive literature,--Heaven knows! of a most miscellaneous
character, for I had no one to guide me in the selection.

Among Mr. Timmis's numerous clients, was one Mr. Cornelius Crobble, a man
of most extraordinary dimensions; he was also a "chum" of, and frequently
made one of a party with, his friend Mr. Wallis, and other croneys, to
white-bait dinners at Blackwall, and other intellectual banquets. In
fact, he seldom made his appearance at the office, but the visit ended in
an engagement to dine at some "crack-house" or other. The cost of the
"feed," as Mr. Timmis termed it, was generally decided by a toss of "best
two and three;" and somehow it invariably happened th