schoolmaster must be abroad with a vengeance, if he has got as
far as that.'

And then they carefully examined Charley's work, crossed his t's,
dotted his i's, saw that his spelling was right, and went to bed.

Again, punctually at ten o'clock, Charley presented himself at
the Internal Navigation; and again saw the two seedy old
messengers warming themselves at the lobby fire. On this occasion
he was kept three hours in the waiting-room, and some of the
younger clerks ventured to come and speak to him. At length Mr.
Snape appeared, and desired the acolyte to follow him. Charley,
supposing that he was again going to the awful Secretary, did so
with a palpitating heart. But he was led in another direction
into a large room, carrying his manuscript neatly rolled in his
hand. Here Mr. Snape introduced him to five other occupants of
the chamber; he, Mr. Snape himself, having a separate desk there,
being, in official parlance, the head of the room. Charley was
told to take a seat at a desk, and did so, still thinking that
the dread hour of his examination was soon to come. His
examination, however, was begun and over. No one ever asked for
his calligraphic manuscript, and as to his arithmetic, it may be
presumed that his assurance that he knew 'some of it,' was deemed
to be adequate evidence of sufficient capacity. And in this
manner, Charley Tudor became one of the Infernal Navvies.

He was a gay-hearted, thoughtless, rollicking young lad, when he
came up to town; and it may therefore be imagined that he easily
fell into the peculiar ways and habits of the office. A short
bargee's pilot-coat, and a pipe of tobacco, were soon familiar to