At length we got quit of it all, and picked our Way Home as we best could, and a long Way it seemed! We had too much to do in minding our Dresses, to have Leisure for talking. As we got towards the _Five Fields_ we met plenty of Market-Carts; and now and then we heard the shrilly Cry of some poor little Chimney-Sweep. Once at Home, we were soon in Bed and asleep; and I awoke nearly at my usual Time, chilly and yawnish, but _Prue_ continued sleeping, and I did not wake her. I was not down quite as soon as usual, after all, and the Milk and Bread were behind Time; and, of Course, Mr. _Fenwick_ did not get his Chocolate as soon as usual. When he heard what had made me late, he looked grave. I said, "Sure, Sir, there was no Harm in looking on?" He said, "Well, I don't know.... It is dangerous to attend not merely Places of pernicious but of doubtful Amusement. Do not your Feelings this Morning tell you that there was Something unsound and unsafe in the Revelry of last Night? And if so in the Case of mere Spectators, how much more in that of actual Participators? and of all those poor People, no voluntary Promoters of it, who only obeyed Orders, and got no Pleasure at all, but what was allied to Dishonesty and Intemperance? I don't want to be overstrict; but am I right or wrong, think you, Mrs. _Patty_?" And I was obliged to own that I believed he was in the Right on't. As for _Prue_, she was fit for Nothing all Day; but she would hear of no Wrong in what had to her been so delightful. So I left her to amuse my quiet _Mother_ with her lively Chat, and attended to the Shop myself. [Illustration] CHAPTER X. _Tom's Presents._ I was sitting behind the Counter, when a smart-looking, sunburnt young Man of about two-and-twenty, attired as a Sailor, came into the Shop. He said, "Hallo, _Patty_! how are you?" I said, "Why, _Tom_! can it be you? I thought you had been in _China_!" "I _have_ been there," says he, "true enough; more-by-Token, here's a _China_ Orange for you;" and clapped one into my Hand with such Force that it went near to go through it. "How are you all?" said he; "I'm glad to see you, and I hope you're glad to see me." "Oh yes, very glad, _Tom_; pray walk into the Parlour--we are all at Home." "How are you, _Uncle_?" says he, so loud and sudden that he made my Father jump. "And you, _Aunt_!"--kissing her. "And you!" kissing _Prue_ too. "'Manners, _Jack_!'" says my Father, quoting _Gatty's_ Letter. "My Name's _Tom_, _Uncle_, not _Jack_, though I suppose you meant _Jack Tar_. Well! so here you all are! I've only just landed--Didn't forget one of you in foreign Lands; I've brought my _Aunt_ a Monkey." "A nasty Beast!" cries my _Father_; "we won't have him here, _Tom_! He'll break all my China."