"But, yer see," observed Noah, "as she will be able to do a good deal, I should like to take something very light."

"A little fancy-work?" suggested Fagin.

"Ah! something of that sort," replied Noah. "What do you think would suit me now? Something not too trying for the strength, and not very dangerous, you know;-that's the sort of thing!"

"I heard you talk of something in the spy way upon the others, my dear?" said the Jew. "My friend wants somebody who would do that well very much."

"Why, I did mention that, and I shouldn't mind turning my hand to it sometimes," rejoined Mr Claypole slowly; "but it wouldn't pay by itself, you know.”

"That's true!" observed the Jew, 'ruminating or pretending to ruminate. "No, it might not."

66

"What do you think, then?" asked Noah, anxiously regarding him. Something in the sneaking-way, where it was pretty sure work, and not much more risk than being at home."

"What do you think of the old ladies ?" asked the Jew. "There's a good deal of money made in snatching their bags and parcels, and running round the corner."

"Don't they holler out a good deal, and scratch sometimes?" asked Noah, shaking his head. "I don't think that would answer my purpose. Ain't there any other line open ?"

66

Stop," said the Jew, laying his hand on Noah's knee. "The kinchin lay."

"What's that?" demanded Claypole.

"The kinchins, my dear," said the Jew, "is the young children that's sent on errands by their mothers, with sixpences and shillings, and the lay is just to take their money away-they've always got it ready in their hands, and then knock 'em into the kennel, and walk off very slow, as if there was nothing else the matter but a child fallen down and hurt itself. Ha! ha! ha!"

"Ha! ha!" roared Mr. Claypole, kicking up his legs in an ecstacy. "Lord, that's the very thing!"

"To be sure it is,” replied Fagin; "and you can have a few good beats chalked out in Camden-Town, and Battle-Bridge, and neighbourhoods like that, where they're always going errands, and upset as many kinchins as you want, any hour in the day. Ha! ha! ha!" With this, Fagin poked Mr. Claypole in the side, and they joined in a burst of laughter both long and loud.

"Well, that's all right!" said Noah when he had recovered himself, and Charlotte had returned. "What time to-morrow shall we say ?" "Will ten do ?" asked the Jew, adding, as Mr. Claypole nodded as"What name shall I tell my good friend?"

sent.

"Mr. Bolter,” replied Noah, who had prepared himself for such an emergency. Mr. Morris Bolter. This is Mrs. Bolter."

"Mrs. Bolter's humble servant," said Fagin, bowing with grotesque politeness. "I hope I shall know her better very shortly." "Do you hear the gentleman, Char-lotte ?" thundered Mr. Claypole.

"Yes, Noah, dear," replied Mrs. Bolter, extending her hand.

"She calls me Noah, as a sort of fond way of talking," said Mr. Morris Bolter, late Claypole, turning to the Jew. "You understand?" "Oh, I understand,-perfectly," replied Fagin, telling the truth for "Good night! Good night!"

once.

CHAPTER THE SIXTH.

WHEREIN IS SHOWN HOW THE ARTFUL DODGER GOT INTO TROUBLE.

"AND So it was you that was your own friend, was it ?" asked Mr. Claypole, otherwise Bolter, when, by virtue of the compact entered into between them, he had removed next day to the Jew's house. "'Cod, I thought as much last night!"

"Every man's his own friend," replied Fagin. "Some conjurors say that number three is the magic number, and some say number seven. It's neither, my friend, neither. It's number one."

"Ha! ha! cried Mr. Bolter. "Number one for ever!"

"In a little community like ours," said the Jew, who felt it necessary to qualify this position, "we have a general number one; that is, you can't consider yourself as number one without considering me too as the same, and all the other young people."

66 Oh, the devil!” exclaimed Mr. Bolter.

"You see," pursued the Jew, affecting to disregard this interruption, "we are so mixed up together, and identified in our interests, that it must be so. For instance, it's your object to take care of number one-meaning yourself."

"Certainly," replied Mr. Bolter. "Yer about right there."

"Well, you can't take care of yourself, number one, without taking care of me, number one."

"Number two, you mean," said Mr. Bolter, who was largely endowed with the quality of selfishness.

66

'No, I don't!" retorted the Jew.

you as you are to yourself."

"I'm of the same importance to

"I say," interrupted Mr. Bolter, "yer a very nice man, and I'm very fond of yer; but we ain't quite so thick together as all that comes to."

66

Only think," said the Jew shrugging his shoulders, and stretching out his hands, "only consider. You've done what's a very pretty thing, and what I love you for doing; but what at the same time would put the cravat round your throat that's so very easily tied, and so very difficult to unloosen,-in plain English, the halter!"

Mr. Bolter put his hand to his neckerchief, as if he felt it inconveniently tight, and murmured an assent, qualified in tone, but not in substance.

"The gallows," continued Fagin, "the gallows, my dear, is an ugly finger-post, which points out a very short and sharp turning that has stopped many a bold fellow's career on the broad highway. To keep in the easy road, and keep it at a distance, is object number one with you."

"Of course it is," replied Mr. Bolter. "What do yer talk about such things for ?"

"Only to show you my meaning clearly," said the Jew, raising his eyebrows. "To be able to do that, you depend upon me; to keep my little business all snug, I depend upon you. The first is your number one, the second my number one. The more you value your number one, the more careful you must be of mine; so we come at last to what I told you at first-that a regard for number one holds us all together, and must do so unless we would all go to pieces in company." "That's true," rejoined Mr. Bolter thoughtfully. "Oh! yer a cun. ning old codger!"

Mr. Fagin saw with delight that this tribute to his power was no mere compliment, but that he had really impressed his recruit with a sense of his wily genius, which it was most important that he should entertain in the outset of their acquaintance. To strengthen an impression so desirable and useful, he followed up the blow by acquainting him in some detail with the magnitude and extent of his operations; blending truth and fiction together as best served his purpose, and bringing both to bear with so much art that Mr. Bolter's respect visibly increased, and became tempered, at the same time, with a degree of wholesome fear, which it was highly desirable to awaken. "It's this mutual trust we have in each other that consoles me under heavy losses," said the Jew. "My best hand was taken from me yesterday morning."

"Wanted," interposed the Jew. "Yes, he was wanted."

66

Very particular?" inquired Mr. Bolter.

"No," replied the Jew, "not very. He was charged with attempting to pick a pocket, and they found a silver snuff-box on him,his own, my dear, his own, for he took snuff himself, and was very fond of it. They remanded him till to-day, for they thought they knew the owner. Ah! he was worth fifty boxes, and I'd give the price of as many to have him back. You should have known the Dodger, my dear; you should have known the Dodger."

"Well, but I shall know him I hope; don't yer think so?" said Mr. Bolter.

"I'm doubtful about it," replied the Jew, with a sigh. "If

they don't get any fresh evidence it'll only be a summary conviction; and we shall have him back again after six weeks or so; but, if they do, it's a case of lagging. They know what a clever lad he is; he'll be a lifer: they'll make the Artful nothing less than a lifer."

"What do yer mean by lagging and a lifer?" demanded Mr. Bolter. "What's the good of talking in that way to me; why don't yer speak so as I can understand yer ?"

Fagin was about to translate these mysterious expressions into the vulgar tongue, and being interpreted, Mr. Bolter would have been informed that they represented that combination of words, "transportation for life," when the dialogue was cut short by the entry of Master Bates with his hands in his breeches' pockets, and his face twisted into a look of semi-comical woe.

"It's all up, Fagin," said Charley, when he and his new companion had been made known to each other.

"What do you mean?" asked the Jew with trembling lips.

66

They've found the gentleman as owns the box; two or three more's a coming to 'dentify him, and the Artful's booked for a passage out," replied Master Bates. "I must have a full suit of mourning, Fagin, and a hatband, to wisit him in, afore he sets out upon his travels. To think of Jack Dawkins-lummy Jack-the Dodger-the Artful Dodger-going abroad for a common two-penny-halfpenny sneeze-box! I never thought he'd ha' done it under a gold watch, chain, and seals, at the lowest. Oh! why didn't he rob some rich old gentleman of all his waluables, and go out as a gentleman, and not like a common prig, without no honor nor glory!"

With this expression of feeling for his unfortunate friend, Master Bates sat himself on the nearest chair with an aspect of chagrin and despondency.

"What do you talk about his having neither honor nor glory for !" exclaimed Fagin, darting an angry look at his pupil. "Wasn't he always top-sawyer among you all ?-is there one of you that could touch him, or come near him, on any scent-eh?"

"Not one," replied Master Bates, in a voice rendered husky by regret," not one.'

"Then what do you talk of?" replied the Jew angrily; "what are you blubbering for?"

"'Cause it isn't on the rec-ord, is it?" said Charley, chafed into perfect defiance of his venerable friend by the current of his regrets; "'cause it can't come out in the indictment; 'cause nobody will never know half of what he was. How will he stand in the Newgate Calendar? P'raps not be there at all. Oh, my eye, my eye, wot a blow it is!"

"Ha! ha!" cried the Jew, extending his right hand, and turning to

Mr. Bolter in a fit of chuckling which shook him as though he had the palsy; "see what a pride they take in their profession, my dear. Isn't it beautiful?"

Mr. Bolter nodded assent; and the Jew, after contemplating the grief of Charley Bates for some seconds with evident satisfaction, stepped up to that young gentleman, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Never mind, Charley," said Fagin soothingly; "it'll come out, it'll be sure to come out. They'll all know what a clever fellow he was; he'll show it himself, and not disgrace his old pals and teachers. Think how young he is too! What a distinction, Charley, to be lagged at his time of life!"

"He shall be

"Well, it is a honour,-that is!" said Charley, a little consoled. "He shall have all he wants," continued the Jew. kept in the Stone Jug, Charley, like a gentleman—like a gentleman, with his beer every day, and money in his pocket to pitch and toss with, if he can't spend it."

66

No, shall he though?" cried Charley Bates.

"Ay, that he shall," replied the Jew, "and we'll have a big-wig, Charley, one that's got the greatest gift of the gab,—to carry on his defence, and he shall make a speech for himself too, if he likes, and we'll read it all in the papers- Artful Dodger-shrieks of laughterhere the court was convulsed'-eh, Charley, eh?"

"Ha ha!" laughed Master Bates, "what a lark that would be, wouldn't it, Fagin? I say, how the Artful would bother 'em, wouldn't he?"

"Would!" cried the Jew. "He shall-he will!"

"Ah, to be sure, so he will," repeated Charley, rubbing his hands. "I think I see him now," cried the Jew, bending his eyes upon his pupil.

"So do I," cried Charley Bates-"ha! ha! ha!--so do I. I see it all afore me upon my soul I do, Fagin. What a game! what a regular game! All the big-wigs trying to look solemn, and Jack Dawkins addressing of 'em as intimate and comfortable as if he was the judge's own son, making a speech arter dinner-ha! ha! ha!"

In fact, the Jew had so well humoured his young friend's eccentric disposition, that Master Bates, who had at first been disposed to consider the imprisoned Dodger rather in the light of a victim, now looked upon him as the chief actor in a scene of most uncommon and exqui. site humour, and felt quite impatient for the arrival of the time when his old companion should have so favourable an opportunity of displaying

his abilities.

"We must know how he gets on to-day by some handy means or other," said Fagin. "Let me think."

"Shall I go?" asked Charley.

"Not for the world," replied the Jew.

"That wouldn't quite fit," replied Fagin, shaking his head.