Water baby Tom (5)

Water baby Tom (5)

By this time they were come up to the great iron gates in front of the house ; and Tom started through them at the house itself, and wondered how many chimneys there were in it.

But Tom and his master did not go in through the great iron gates, as if they had been Dukes or Bishops, but round the back way, and a very long way round it was ; and into a little back door, where the ash-boy let them in, yawning horribly, and then in a passage  the housekeeper met them, and she gave Grimes solemn orders about, " You will take care of this, and take care of that. "

And Grimes listened, and said every now and then, under his voice, " You'll mind that, you little beggar? "and Tom did mind, all at least that he could.

And then the housekeeper turned them into a grand room, all covered up in sheets of brown paper, and bade them begin in a lofty and tremendous voice ; and so, after a whimper or two, and a kick from his master, into the grate Tom went, and up the chimney.



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