Billy was not pleased at this unexpected salute, called her a drunken -- --, and endeavoured to get out of her way--"for," said he, "I know she is a b----dy rum customer when she gets lushy."{2} At this moment, a sturdy youth, about sixteen or seventeen years of age, was seen at a short distance riding the runaway-ass back again.

Billy perceiving this, became a little more reconciled to his rough usage--swore he never would strike a voman, so help him G----d, for that he was a man every inch of him; and as for Mother Mapps, he'd be d----nd-if he vouldn't treat her with all the pleasure of life; and now he had got his own ass, he vould go along with her for to find her mackarel.

Then shaking a cloud of brick-dust from the dry parts of his apparel, with sundry portions of mud from those parts which had most easily reached the kennel, he took the bridle of his donkey, and bidding her come along, they toddled{3} together to a gin-shop in Shoe Lane.
1 Flat-catching--Is an expression of very common use, and seems almost to explain itself, being the act of taking advantage of any person who appears ignorant and unsuspicious.
2 Lushy--Drunk.
3 Toddle--To toddle is to walk slowly, either from infirmity or choice--"Come, let us toddle," is a very familiar phrase, signifying let us be going.
~118~~Desirous of seeing an end to this bit of gig--"Come along," said Sparkle, "they'll all be in prime twig presently, and we shall have some fun.
"I'm the boy for a bit of a bobbery, Nabbing a lantern, or milling a pane; A jolly good lark is not murder or robbery, Let us be ready and nimble." Hark, (said he) there's a fiddle-scraper in the house--here goes;" and immediately they entered.
They had no occasion to repent of their movements; for in one corner of the tap-room sat Billy Waters, a well-known character about town, a Black Man with a wooden leg was fiddling to a Slaughterman from Fleet-market, in wooden shoes, who, deck'd with all the paraphernalia of his occupation, a greasy jacket and night-cap, an apron besmeared with mud, blood, and grease, nearly an inch thick, and a leathern girdle, from which was suspended a case to hold his knives, and his sleeves tuck'd up as if he had but just left the slaughter-house, was dancing in the centre to the infinite amusement of the company, which consisted of an old woman with periwinkles and crabs for sale in a basket--a porter with his knot upon the table--a dustman with his broad-flapped hat, and his bell by his side--an Irish hodman--and two poor girls, who appeared to be greatly taken with the black fiddler, whose head was decorated with an oil-skinned cock'd hat, and a profusion of many coloured feathers: on the other side of the room sat a young man of shabby-genteel appearance, reading the newspaper with close attention, and purring forth volumes of smoke.

Limping Billy and Mother Mapps were immediately known, and room was made for their accommodation, while the fiddler's elbow and the slaughterman's wooden shoes were kept in motion.
_Max_{l} was the order of the day, and the _sluicery_{2} in good request.

Mother Mapps was made easy by being informed the Street-keeper had her valuables in charge, which Limping Billy promised he would redeem.