Paul's, and back. Quiet as it was in Thames
Street there was no lack of animation elsewhere. Apprentices were
generally allowed to go out for an hour after supper, the regulation
being that they returned to their homes by eight o'clock. Numbers of
these were about. A good many citizens were on their way home after
supping with friends. The city watch, with lanterns, patrolled the
streets, and not infrequently interfered in quarrels which broke out
among the apprentices. Cyril felt more solitary among the knots of
laughing, noisy lads than in the quiet streets, and was glad to be
home again. Captain Dave himself came down to open the door.
"I have just sent the women to bed," he said. "The two boys came in
five minutes ago. I thought you would not be long."
"I did not go out for anything particular," Cyril said; "but Mistress
Nellie insisted that there was something wrong with you, and that I
must know what it was about, so, feeling indeed indisposed to talk, I
thought it best to go out for a short time."
"Yes, yes. Women always want to know, lad. I have been long enough at
sea, you may be sure, to know that when anything is wrong, it is the
best thing to keep it from the passengers as long as you can."
"You took the books away this morning, Captain Dave?" Cyril asked as
they sat down.
"Ay, lad, I took them to Master Skinner, who bears as good a
reputation as any accountant in the city, and he promised to take
them in hand without loss of time; but I have been able to do nothing
here.
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