"Hilloa!" said Todd, again.
"Ay—ay!" said the boy; "where are you?"
"Here, my dear," said Todd, "on board of the barge, bless you. How are you, my fine fellow—eh?"
"Oh, I'm pretty well. Who are you?"
"Why, don't you know me? I'm Mr. Smith. How is your father, my lad—eh?"
"Oh, father's all right enough; but I didn't know as he knowed a Mr. Smith at all."
"Oh, yes, he does. Everybody knows a Mr. Smith. Come on, you can give me a lift to shore off the barge here. This way. Just step up to the side and I'll step into your pretty little wherry. And so your father is quite well—eh, my fine lad? Do you know I was afraid he had caught a little cold, and really have been quite uneasy about him."
"Have you?" said the boy, as he pulled up to the side of the barge. "Where do you want to go to?"
"Oh, anywhere you happen to be going, that's all, my fine lad. How you do grow, to be sure!"
"But how came you here, out in the river on the dredging-barge? Do you belong to her?"