Page:The London Guide and Stranger's Safeguard.djvu/215

Rh of leaving off several years, but could not (leastwise he told me so); but what was my surprise, after years of absence, (notwithstanding George died in the mean time) to find the house in the same line. Coming out of Bedford Square, eyes right! there I saw ten or twelve of the oldest hands on town, sunning themselves at the door! The new man I found had been one of those concerned in the affair respecting the buying of hay in Whitechapel, at Hill's public house, and is supposed to have sacked all the money.

Cripplegate is supposed to be that Ward in the city, the police of which is the best regulated of any, and most carefully watched; but I know two game publicans in it, whose houses are well-known haunts for night robbers—more or less. Standing with your back at the church-door, and stretching out your hands, not quite straight, you shall find one of them at fifty yards to the right; the other stands about two hundred and fifty yards to the left hand, having a small sinus or elbow still farther to the left. It is a strange coincidence that upon going into either of those four houses you step down (more or less) out of the street;—the last mentioned having two good steps;—with the two first the descent is but just perceptible.