"I can't," said Sylvester, "you at all events must help me."
"It's the law id this part of the globe," returned Tom, "that doe bad shall dip idto adother bad's, pot."
Well! if this were the law, it was the law!—but Sylvester couldn't drink it all, that was quite clear, nor did he conceive it to be improbable that a shivering wretch, who stood behind him with a single box of lucifer-matches in his hand, would object for one moment to violate that law. He therefore drank a little of it boldly, and then handed it quietly to the match-man behind, who finished it for him in very fine style, without taking his lips from the pot. As this had been effected unperceived by the rest—for they were all the time chattering with and ogling the bar-maid—Sylvester thereby acquired the reputation of being—although green, palpably green—as good a man as any amongst them.
"Now," said he, when they had emptied their pots, "hadn't we better go in?"
"Id!" returned Tom, "Id where?"
"Why into the lecture-room."
"Oh! It's all over by this tibe, or dearly so."
"Well, but what am I to say if they should ask me about it?"
"Ah, I udderstadd! I say," he added, turning to the rest, "you are goidg to have wud bore fire, I suppose?"
"Oh, yes," they replied, "of course."
"Well, I'll dot be a bobedt: I'll cub back agaid. Dow thed, by boy," he added, seizing Sylvester's arm, "cub alodg. We'll, just give a look id, add thed you'll be able to say with truth that you have beed there."
They accordingly entered the hospital, and proceeded to the theatre in which the lecturer was zealously engaged on some profound demonstration, the nature of which Tom would not stop to hear, but dragged Sylvester out as soon as he felt that he had seen quite sufficient of the building to give a description of its form.
"Dow," said Tom, "we'll just go add have wud bore fire, add thed it'll be tibe for us to trot hobe agaid."
"I can't drink any more of that porter," said Sylvester. "I have already had quite enough of that."
"Well thed, have sobethidg else. I'll tell you what you shall do—I'll stadd it: I'll pay the buddy;—call for a bottle of chabpagde. They are good fellows, all of 'em—regular trubps, add that'll stabp you at wodce as wud of us. Here's the buddy," he added, offering him a sovereign.
"No," said Sylvester, "I'll not take your money, I've some of my own."
"Dodsedce!" cried Tom, "I tell you I'll stadd it!—Take the buddy."
"No, I'll not do that," said Sylvester, "but if you wish it, I'll order a bottle with pleasure."
"Very well, by boy; but bark!—whed I say 'Well, what are you goidg to stadd?' you say boldly, 'Why let's have a bottle of chabpagde.'"
This was agreed to before they reached the house, and when they're-
