but as a cold fact it has ceased to be. Here are
the doorways, and here are the boys, but happy
conjunctions are no longer effected. The door
ways remain empty, and the boys keep awake and
carry the banner.

"I was down under the arches," grumbled
another young fellow. By arches he meant the
shore arches where begin the bridges that span
the Thames. " I was down under the arches,
w en it was ryning its ardest, an a bobby comes
in an chyses me out. But I come back, an e
come too. Ere, sez e, wot you doin ere ?
An out I goes, but I sez, Think I want ter pinch
[steal] the bleedin bridge?"

Among those who carry the banner, Green Park
has the reputation of opening its gates earlier than
the other parks, and at quarter-past four in the
morning, I, and many more, entered Green Park.
It was raining again, but they were worn out with
the night s walking, and they were down on the
benches and asleep at once. Many of the men
stretched out full length on the dripping wet
grass, and, with the rain falling steadily upon them,
were sleeping the sleep of exhaustion.

And now I wish to criticise the powers that be.
They are the powers, therefore they may decree
whatever they please; so I make bold only to criti
cise the ridiculousness of their decrees. All night

[[118]]

p117 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p118w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p119

v?