Lilly could not see him on the ground, but he saw some van-men go forward, and he saw one of them pick up the man's hat.
"I'd better go down," said Lilly to himself.
So he began running down the four long flights of stone stairs, past the many doors of the multifarious business premises, and out into the market.

A little crowd had gathered, and a large policeman was just rowing into the centre of the interest.

Lilly, always a hoverer on the edge of public commotions, hung now hesitating on the outskirts of the crowd.
"What is it ?" he said, to a rather sniffy messenger boy.
"Drunk," said the messenger boy: except that, in unblushing cockney, he pronounced it "Drank." Lilly hung further back on the edge of the little crowd.
"Come on here.

Where d' you want to go ?" he heard the hearty tones of the policeman.
"I'm all right.

I'm all right," came the testy drunken answer.
"All right, are yer! All right, and then some,--come on, get on your pins." "I'm all right! I'm all right." The voice made Lilly peer between the people.