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colliding with a tall young lady。
〃Should advise you to take something for that squint of yours；〃
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remarked the tall young lady with severity。
〃What's the matter with me？〃 thought Johnny。 〃Seems to be a sort
of mist〃 The explanation flashed across him。 〃Of course；〃 said
Johnny to himself； 〃it's this confounded veil！〃
Johnny decided to walk to the Marble Soap offices。 〃I'll be more
used to the hang of things by the time I get there if I walk；〃 thought
Johnny。 〃Hope the old beggar's in。〃
In Newgate Street； Johnny paused and pressed his hands against his
chest。 〃Funny sort of pain I've got；〃 thought Johnny。 〃Wonder if I
should shock them if I went in somewhere for a drop of brandy？〃
〃It don't get any better；〃 reflected Johnny； with some alarm； on
reaching the corner of Cheapside。 〃Hope I'm not going to be ill。
Whatever〃 The explanation came to him。 〃Of course； it's these
damned stays！ No wonder girls are short…tempered； at times。〃
At the offices of the Marble Soap； Johnny was treated with marked
courtesy。 Mr。 Jowett was out； was not expected back till five o'clock。
Would the lady wait； or would she call again？ The lady decided； now
she was there； to wait。 Would the lady take the easy… chair？ Would the
lady have the window open or would she have it shut？ Had the lady
seen The Times？
〃Or the Ha'penny Joker？〃 suggested a junior clerk； who thereupon
was promptly sent back to his work。
Many of the senior clerks had occasion to pass through the waiting…
room。 Two of the senior clerks held views about the weather which
they appeared wishful to express at length。 Johnny began to enjoy
himself。 This thing was going to be good fun。 By the time the
slamming of doors and the hurrying of feet announced the advent of the
chief； Johnny was looking forward to his interview。
It was briefer and less satisfactory than he had anticipated。 Mr。
Jowett was very busydid not as a rule see anybody in the afternoon； but
of course； a lady Would Miss〃
〃Montgomery。〃
〃Would Miss Montgomery inform Mr。 Jowett what it was he might
have the pleasure of doing for her？〃
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Miss Montgomery explained。
Mr。 Jowett seemed half angry； half amused。
〃Really；〃 said Mr。 Jowett； 〃this is hardly playing the game。 Against
our fellow…men we can protect ourselves； but if the ladies are going to
attack usreally it isn't fair。〃
Miss Montgomery pleaded。
〃I'll think it over；〃 was all that Mr。 Jowett could be made to promise。
〃Look me up again。〃
〃When？〃 asked Miss Montgomery。
〃What's to…day？Thursday。 Say Monday。〃 Mr。 Jowett rang the bell。
〃Take my advice；〃 said the old gentleman； laying a fatherly hand on
Johnny's shoulder； 〃leave business to us men。 You are a handsome girl。
You can do better for yourself than this。〃
A clerk entered； Johnny rose。
〃On Monday next； then；〃 Johnny reminded him。
〃At four o'clock；〃 agreed Mr。 Jowett。 〃Good afternoon。〃
Johnny went out feeling disappointed； and yet； as he told himself； he
hadn't done so badly。 Anyhow； there was nothing for it but to wait till
Monday。 Now he would go home； change his clothes； and get some
dinner。 He hailed a hansom。
〃Number twenty…eightno。 Stop at the Queen's Street corner of
Lincoln's Inn Fields；〃 Johnny directed the man。
〃Quite right； miss；〃 commented the cabman pleasantly。 〃Corner's
bestsaves all talk。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 demanded Johnny。
〃No offence； miss；〃 answered the man。 〃We was all young once。〃
Johnny climbed in。 At the corner of Queen Street and Lincoln's Inn
Fields； Johnny got out。 Johnny； who had been pondering other matters；
put his hand instinctively to where； speaking generally； his pocket
should have been； then recollected himself。
〃Let me see； did I think to bring any money out with me； or did I
not？〃 mused Johnny； as he stood upon the kerb。
〃Look in the ridicule； miss；〃 suggested the cabman。
Johnny looked。 It was empty。
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〃Perhaps I put it in my pocket；〃 thought Johnny。
The cabman hitched his reins to the whip…socket and leant back。
〃It's somewhere about here； I know； I saw it；〃 Johnny told himself。
〃Sorry to keep you waiting；〃 Johnny added aloud to the cabman。
〃Don't you worry about that； miss；〃 replied the cabman civilly； 〃we
are used to it。 A shilling a quarter of an hour is what we charge。〃
〃Of all the damned silly tricks！〃 muttered Johnny to himself。
Two small boys and a girl carrying a baby paused； interested。
〃Go away；〃 told them the cabman。 〃You'll have troubles of your own
one day。〃
The urchins moved a few steps further； then halted again and were
joined by a slatternly woman and another boy。
〃Got it！〃 cried Johnny； unable to suppress his delight as his hand
slipped through a fold。 The lady with the baby； without precisely
knowing why； set up a shrill cheer。 Johnny's delight died away； it
wasn't the pocket…hole。 Short of taking the skirt off and turning it
inside out； it didn't seem to Johnny that he ever would find that pocket。
Then in that moment of despair he came across it accidentally。 It
was as empty as the reticule！
〃I am sorry；〃 said Johnny to the cabman； 〃but I appear to have come
out without my purse。〃
The cabman said he had heard that tale before； and was making
preparations to descend。 The crowd； now numbering eleven； looked
hopeful。 It occurred to Johnny later that he might have offered his
umbrella to the cabman； at least it would have fetched the eighteenpence。
One thinks of these things afterwards。 The only idea that occurred to
him at the moment was that of getting home。
〃'Ere； 'old my 'orse a minute； one of yer；〃 shouted the cabman。
Half a dozen willing hands seized the dozing steed and roused it into
madness。
〃Hi！ stop 'er！〃 roared the cabman。
〃She's down！〃 shouted the excited crowd。
〃Tripped over 'er skirt；〃 explained the slatternly woman。 〃They do
'amper you。〃
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〃 No； she's not。 She's up again！〃 vociferated a delighted plumber；
with a sounding slap on his own leg。 〃Gor blimy； if she ain't a good
'un！〃
Fortunately the Square was tolerably clear and Johnny a good runner。
Holding now his skirt and petticoat high in his left hand； Johnny moved
across the Square at the rate of fifteen miles an hour。 A butcher's boy
sprang in front of him with arms held out to stop him。 The thing that
for the next three months annoyed that butcher boy most was hearing
shouted out after him 〃Yah！ who was knocked down and run over by a
lidy？〃 By the time Johnny reached the Strand； via Clement's Inn； the
hue and cry was far behind。 Johnny dropped his skirts and assumed a
more girlish pace。 Through Bow Street and Long Acre he reached
Great Queen Street in safety。 Upon his own doorstep he began to laugh。
His afternoon's experience had b