mistakes had happened, "what could I have been thinking about?"

He had but just done this when he was conscious of some one opening the door that led into the street, and looking round observed a very odd looking boy in a leathern jerkin and woollen cap, such as were worn by the common people, advancing into the office, desperately intent upon picking a bone. He was somewhat short of stature, with a fair pair of bandy legs, and his face-none of the cleanest was fat and freckled, having a noticeable huge mouth, then upon the stretch—a pug nose, and eyes squinting abominably. Without saying a word, he marched towards a corner of the room, and sat himself down on the floor, picking his bone -the which employment he varied by giving an occasional bite-which made a mark that placed beyond dispute his mouth's capacity-in a thick hunk of bread he drew from under his jerkin.

Master Francis, who had regarded his visitor with considerable curiosity since his entrance, at last, seeing him with the utmost effrontery munching away without seeming to care for anything else,

asked him his business.

"Be you called Master Francis?" enquired the boy, without removing his eyes from the bone. "That is my name, certainly," replied the youth.

VOL. I.

H

"Sure on't?" asked the other, taking a monstrous piece out of the hunk of bread.

"Of course I am," said Master Francis.

“Have ye any witnesses?" enquired the boy. "If you don't choose to take my word for it, you must needs let it alone, and go about your business," observed the youth sharply, though too much amused to be much offended.

"Rather pepperish-do to play Hotspur," remarked his companion in an under tone, as he renewed his attack upon the bone. In a minute afterwards he enquired, somewhat authoritatively, "Who's house be this?"

"It is my uncle's," replied Master Francis.

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Prythee tell me his name, if he hath one."
Gregory Vellum."

"His calling?” enquired the boy, still keeping his teeth employed.

"'Tis that of a scrivener. But get you gone quickly, or you shall repent this intrusion, I promise you."

"Rather desperate-do to play Richard the Third," said the boy.

“Who are you, and what seek you here?” enquired Master Francis impatiently" I have quite enough to plague me without your assistance."

"Rather melancholy-do to play Hamlet," said

the other, stripping the bone perfectly clean, and making the bread disappear rapidly.

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Nay, if you do not satisfy me for this impertinence, and speedily, I will have it out of your flesh," exclaimed the youth angrily.

"Rather bloody-minded-do to play Shylock,' answered the boy in the same quiet tone he had used from the commencement.

"I'faith but this is unbearable!” cried Master Francis, as he jumped off the stool with a thick stick in his hand belonging to his uncle that lay upon the desk, and ran to his visitor as if with a design to give him a drubbing. "Now tell me, you worthless varlet, what want you here, or your bones shall ache for it," said he, holding the stick threateningly over him.

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Why, I am Gib, the call-boy,” replied the boy, finishing his last mouthful, and eying the uplifted weapon with some small astonishment, "I hold the honourable office of call-boy to the Globe, on the Bankside, and earn me the handsome sum of a whole shilling a-week—and find myself out on't: but such a one for the business, the players are not like to find more than once in an age, I take itand of this they are in no way ignorant-for Master Burbage hath said that my calling' did credit to me, and I did credit to my calling- and, as I remember me, Master Green said he could swear

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I was born with a caul, I was so apt at it. In fact, there be none like me. It was but the other day I paid a visit to the Rose to see their call-boy. Such a miserable caitiff! the varlet's got no mouth! unless an insignificant bit of a button-hole in his face, scarce big enough to admit a peascod, be called such-the natural consequence of which is, that he hath not voice enough to frighten a cricket. Now have I something like a mouth”—

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Something like half a dozen made into one!" said Master Francis, seeing that the boy extended his jaws to a compass beyond conception.

"And when I call," continued he, "my voice may be heard on t'other side of the river-by those who hear well enough. If it be your desire, I will favour you with a specimen of my talents."

"I thank you-but I would much rather that you would favour me with your business,” replied the youth, who was too much amused to put his recent threats into execution.

"But besides being call-boy," added the other, unheeding what had just been said, "I am ofttimes required to act parts-very important parts too, I promise you."

"Indeed!" cried Master Francis, regarding with a smile the droll looking object at his feet. "In what part could they possibly trust you upon the stage?"

"I play the cock in Hamlet,” replied the boy very gravely-at which his companion laughed heartily" and so much to the very life, that Master Taylor saith he shall be content to pick a crow with me every time he playeth the Prince of Denmark. And Master Fletcher saith that that piece can never go off as it ought to do unless I have the cock-ing of it. Besides which, I come on as one of Falstaff's regiment-make a very excellent courtier in the back ground-play one of the ghosts in Richard the Third's dream-and at all times make one of the army, of which there are at least some score of us, scene-shifters included. In fact, I should think myself greatly to be envied, were it not for one thing."

"Of what can you complain?" asked Master Francis.

"I am obliged to eat my meals where I can," replied the boy; "sometimes in Juliet's tombsometimes in Desdemona's bed-sometimes in Richard the Third's tent-one day near the forum at Rome-another close upon the Tower of Londonnay, even this very day have I been forced to munch my dinner as I came along, because I was sent to you in a hurry with a letter from Master Shakspeare." "A letter from Master Shakspeare to me !" cried Master Francis impatiently. Why gave you not it to me before?”

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