I followed her, struggling with my trunk, up the rickety staircase of a house which a hundred years ago might have been a stylish town residence, but which now was one of the forlornest ghosts of a house you ever saw.
I found myself at last in a big room containing several beds.
"Here's where you'll sleep," said the female.
"Are there other boys here, then ?" I asked, who had expected a solitary lodging.
"Yes, lots of 'em; and a bad lot too." "Are they Merrett, Barnacle, and Company's boys ?" I inquired.
"Who ?" inquired Mrs Nash, rather bewildered.
I saw my mistake in time.

Of course this was a regular lodging-house for office-boys generally.
"Leave your box there," said Mrs Nash, "and come along." Leading to the floor below the dormitory, I was shown a room with a long table down the middle, with a lot of dirty pictures stuck on the wall, and one or two dirty books piled up in the corner.
"This is the parlour," said she.

"Are you going to board, young man ?" I looked at her inquiringly.
"Are you going to get your grub here or out of doors ?" she said.
"Do the other boys get it here ?" I asked.
"Some do, some don't.

What I say is, Are you going to or not ?" "What does it cost ?" I said.
"Threepence breakfast and threepence supper," said Mrs Nash.
I longed to ask her what was included in the bill of fare for these meals, but was too bashful.
"I think," said I, "I had better have them, then." "All right," said she, shortly.

"Can't have breakfast to-day; too late! Supper's at nine, and lock-up at ten, there.