thus the evening wore away with the cruncher family, until young jerry was ordered to bed, and his mother, laid under similar injunctions, obeyed them. mr. cruncher beguiled the earlier watches of the night with solitary pipes, and did not start upon his excursion until nearly one o'clock. towards that small and ghostly hour, he rose up from his chair, took a key out of his pocket, opened a locked cupboard, and brought forth a sack, a crowbar of convenient size, a rope and chain, and other fishing tackle of that nature. disposing these articles about him in skilful manner, he bestowed a parting defiance on mrs. cruncher, extinguished the light, and went out.