baggage, if I don't give her something to-morrow."

Well, if I really thought-would you mind giving me, now, a bit of black and white for it?"

"I'll do any thing you like; only let me feel the ten shillings in my fingers."

"Well, no sooner said than done, if you're a man of your word," said Huckaback, in a trice producing a bit of paper, and a pen and ink. "So, only just for the fun of it; but-Lord! what stuff!-I'm only bargaining for a hundred pounds of moonshine. Ha, ha! I shall never see the colour of your money, not I; so I may as well say two hundred when I'm about it, as one hundred"—.

“Why, hem! Two hundred, Huck, is rather a large figure; one hundred's odds enough, I'm sure."

"P'r'aps, Tit, you forget the licking you gave me the other day. Suppose I was to go to an attorney, and get the law of you, what a sight of damages I should have-three hundred pounds at least."

Titmouse appeared even yet hesi tating.

66

"Well, then!" said Huckaback, flinging down his pen, suppose I have them yet." "Come, come, Hucky, 'tis all past and gone, all that."

"Is it? Well, I never! I shall never be again the same man I was before that licking. I've a sort of a -a-of a-feeling inside, as if my breast was-I shall carry it to grave-if I sha'n't!"

my

[It never once occurred to Titmouse, not having his friend Mr Gammon at his elbow, that the plaintiff in the action of Huckaback v. Titmouse might have been slightly at a loss for a witness of the assault; but something quite as good in its way-a heaven-sent suggestion-did occur to him.]

"Ah," said Titmouse suddenly, "that's true; and uncommon sorry am I; but still, a hundred pounds is a hundred pounds, and a large sum for the use of ten shillings and a licking; but never you think it's all moonshine about my business with Messrs Quirk, Gammon, and Snap! You should only have heard what I've heard to-day from those gents; hem! but I won't split again either."

"Eh? What? Heard from those gents at Saffron Hill?" interrupted

Huckaback briskly; "come, Titty, out with it-out with it; no secrets between friends, Titty." "No, I'll be. if I do-I won't spoil it all again; and now, since I've let out as much, which I didn't mean to do, I'll tell you something else—ten shillings is no use to me, I must have a pound."

Titty, Titty!" exclaimed Huckaback, with unaffected concern.

"And won't give more than fifty for it when I get my property either" [Huckaback whistled aloud, and with a significant air buttoned up the pocket which contained the money; intimating that now the negotiation was all at an end, for that Titmouse's new terms were quite out of the question ;] "for I know where I can get twenty pounds easily, only I liked to come to a friend first."

"You aren't behaving much like a friend to one as has always been a fast friend of yours, Titty! A pound!— I haven't got it to part with, that's flat; so, if that's your figure, why, you must even go to your other friend, and leave poor Hucky."

"Well, I don't mind saying only ten shillings," quoth Titmouse, fearing that he had been going on rather

too fast.

"Ah, that's something reasonablelike, Titty! and, to meet you like a friend, I'll take fifty pounds instead of a hundred; but yon won't object now to-you know a deposit; that ring of yours. Well, well! it don't signify, since it goes against you: so now, here goes, a bit of paper for ten shillings, ha, ha!" and taking a pen, after a pause, in which he called to mind as much of the phraseology of money securities as he could, he drew up the following stringent document:

"Know all Men That you are Bound to Mr R. Huckaback Promising The Bearer on Demand To Pay Fifty Pounds in cash out of the Estate, if Get it. you "(Witness,) 22d July 182-. "R. HUCKABACK."|

"There, Titty-if you're an honest man, and would do as you would be done by," said Huckaback, after signing his own name as above, handing the pen to Titmouse, “sign that ; just to show your honour, like-for, in course, I sha'n't ever come on you for the money-get as much as you may."

quickened his energies and sharpened his wits in the service of his friend. But for this, indeed, it is probable that Mr Huckaback's door would have become as hopelessly closed against Titmouse as was that of Messrs Quirk, Gammon, and Snap. Some two or three nights after the little transaction between the two friends which I have been describing, Huckaback called upon Titmouse, and after greeting him rather cordially, told him that he had come to put him up to a trick upon the Saffron Hill people, that would tickle them into a little activity in his affairs. The trick was -the sending a letter to those gentlemen calculated to-but why attempt to characterise it? I have the original document lying before me, which was sent by Titmouse the very next morning to Messrs Quirk, Gammon, and Snap; and here follows a verbatim copy of it.

"No. 9, Closet Court, Oxford Street. "To Messrs QUIRK & Co. "Gents,-Am Sorry to Trouble You, But Being Drove quite desperate at my Troubles (which have brot me to my Last Penny à Week ago) and Mrs Squallop my Landlady wd distrain on Me only that There Is nothing To distrain on, Am Determined to Go Abroad in a Week's Time, and shall Never come Any More back again with Great Grief wh Is What I now Write To tell You Of (Hoping you Will please Take No notice of It) So Need give Yourselves No Further Concern with my Concerns Seeing The Estate is Not To Be Had and Am Sorry you Shd Have Had so Much trouble With My Affairs wh cd not Help. Shd have Much liked The Thing, only it Was Not worth Stopping For, or Would, but Since It Was not God's Will be Done which it will. Have raised a Trifle ('n my Future Prospects (wh am Certain There is Nothing In) from a True Friend" [need it be guessed at whose instance these words found their way into the letter?] "wh was certainly uncommon inconvenient to That Person But He wd do Anything to Do me good As he says Am going to raise A Little More from a Gent That does Things of That Nature wh will help me with Expense in Going Abroad (which place I Never mean to Return from). Have fixed for the

10th To Go on wh Day Shall Take leave Of Mr Tag-rag (who on my Return Shall be glad to See Buried or in the Workhouse). Have wrote This letter Only to Save Yr Respectable Selves trouble wh Trust You wd not have Taken. "And Remain,

"Gents,

"Yr humble Unworthy Serv "T. TITMOUSE. "P.S.-Hope you will Particularly Remember me to Mr Gammon. What is to become of me, know nothing, being so troubled. Am Humbly Determined not to employ any Gents in This matter except yr most Respectable House, and shd be most Truly Sorry to Go Abroad whr am really Often thinking of in Earnest. (Unless something Speedily Turns Up, favourable, T. T.-Shd like (By the way) to know if you shd be so Disposed what yr recpe house wd take for my Chances Down (Out and out) In a Round Sum (Ready money) And hope if they Write It will be by Next Post or shall be Gone Abroad."

Old Quirk, as soon as he had finished the perusal of this skilful document, started, a little disturbed, from his seat, and bustled into Mr Gammon's room, with Mr Titmouse's open letter in his hand.-" Gammon," said he, "just cast your eye over this, will you? Really, we must look after Titmouse, or he'll be gone!" Mr Gammon took the letter rather eagerly, read deliberately through it, and then looked up at his fidgety partner, who stood anxiously eyeing him, and smiled.

"Well, Gammon, I really thinkeh? Don't you?"

"Upon my word, Mr Quirk, this nearly equals his former letter; and it also seems to have produced on you the desired effect."

"Well, Gammon, and what of that? Because my heart don't happen to be quite a piece of flint, you're always"

"You might have been a far wealthier man than you are, but for that soft heart of yours, Mr Quirk,”—said Gammon, with a bland smile. (!)

"I know I might, Gammon-I know it. I thank my God I'm not so keen after business that I can't feel for this poor soul-really, his state's quite deplorable!"

"Then, my dear sir, put your hand into your pocket at once, as I was

suggesting last night, and allow him a weekly sum."

"A-hem! hem! Gammon"-said Quirk, sitting down, thrusting his hands into his waistcoat pockets, and looking very earnestly at Gammon.

"Well, then," replied that gentleman, shrugging his shoulders, in answer to the mute appeal-" write and say you won't 'tis soon done, and so the matter ends."

"Why, Gammon, you see, if he goes abroad," said Quirk, after a long pause" we lose him for ever."

"Pho!-go abroad? He's too much for you, Mr Quirk-he is, indeed, ha, ha!"

"You're fond of a laugh at my expense, Gammon; it's quite pleasant you can't think how I like it!"

"I beg your pardon, Mr Quirk— but you really misunderstand me; I was laughing only at the absurd inconsistency of the fellow he's a most transparent fool, and takes us for such. Go abroad! Ridiculous pretence !— In his precious postscript he undoes all-he says he is only often thinking of going-pshaw!-That the wretch is in great distress, is very probable but it must go hard with him before he either commits suicide or goes abroad, I warrant him; I've no fears on that score-but there is a point in the letter that may be worth consider ing-I mean the fellow's hint about borrowing money on his prospects."

"Yes, to be sure the very thing that struck me." [Gammon faintly smiled.] "I never thought much about the other part of the letter-all stuff about going abroad-pho!-But, to be sure, if he's trying to raise money, he may get into keen hands-Do you really think he has ?"

"Oh no-of course its only a little lie of his or he must have found out some greater fool than himself, which I had not supposed possible. But however that may be, I really think, Mr Quirk, its high time that we should take some decided step."

"Well, yes, it may be," said Quirk, slowly-" and I must say that Mortmain encouraged me a good deal the day before yesterday."

"Well, and you know what Mr Frank pledge"

"Oh, as to Frank pledge-hem!" "What of Mr Frank pledge, Mr Quirk?" enquired Gammon, rather tartly.

"There! There!-Always the way -but what does it signify?-Come, come, Gammon, we know each other too well to quarrel!—I don't mean any thing disrespectful to Mr Frank pledge, but when Mortmain has been one's conveyancer these thirty-three years, and never once-hem!-but, however, he tells me that we are standing on sure ground, or that he don't know what sure ground is, and sees no objection to our even taking preliminary steps in the matter, which indeed I begin to think it high time to do!-And as for securing ourselves in respect of any advances to Titmouse-he suggests our taking a bond, conditioned—say, for the payment of £500 or £1000 on demand, under cover of which one might advance him, you know, just such sums as, and when we pleased; one could stop when one thought fit; one could begin with three or four pounde a-week, and increase as his prospects improved-eh !”

"You know I've no objection to such an arrangement; but consider, Mr Quirk, we must have patience; it will take a long while to get our verdict, you know, and perhaps as long to secure it afterwards; and this horrid little wretch all the while on our hands; what the deuce to do with him, I really don't know!"

"Humph, humph!" grunted Quirk, looking very earnestly and uneasily at Gammon.

"And what I chiefly fear is this,suppose he should get dissatisfied with the amount of our advances, and, knowing the state and prospects of the cause, should turn restive?

"Ay, confound it, Gammon, all that should be looked to, shouldn't it ?" interrupted Quirk, with an exceedingly chagrined air.

"To be sure," continued Gammon, thoughtfully; "by that time he may have got substantial friends about him, whom he could persuade to become security to us for further and past advances."

"Nay, now you name the thing, Gammon; it was what I was thinking of only the other day :" he dropped his voice Isn't there one or two of our own clients, hem!".

"Why, certainly, there's old Fang; I don't think it impossible he might be induced to do a little usury-it's all he lives for, Mr Quirk; and the se

curity is good in reality, though perhaps not exactly marketable."

Nay; but, on second thoughts, why not do it ourselves, if any thing can be made of it?"

"That, however, will be for future consideration. In the mean time, we'd better send for Titmouse, and manage him a little more-discreetly, eh? We did not exactly hit it off last time, did we, Mr Quirk?" said Gammon, smiling rather sarcastically. "We must keep him at Tag-rag's, if the thing can be done, for the present, at all events."

"To be sure; he couldn't then come buzzing about us, like a gad-fly; he'd drive us mad in a week, I'm sure."

"Oh, I'd rather give up every thing than submit to it. It can't be difficult for us, I should think, to bind him to our own terms-to put a bridle in the ass's mouth? Let us say that we insist on his signing an undertaking to act implicitly according to our directions in every thing."

"Ay, to be sure; on pain of our instantly turning him to the rightabout. I fancy it will do, now!"

"And, now, Mr Quirk," said Gammon, with as much of peremptoriness in his tone as he could venture upon to Mr Quirk, "you really must do me the favour to leave the management of this little wretch to me. You see, he seems to have taken-Heaven save the mark!-a fancy to me, poor fellow! and-and-it must be owned, we miscarried sadly, the other night, on a certain grand occasion-eh?"

Quirk shook his head dissentingly. "Well, then," continued Gammon, "one thing I am determined on: one or the other of us, Mr Quirk, shall undertake Titmouse, solely and singly. Pray, for Heaven's sake, tackle him yourself a disagreeable duty! You know, my dear sir, how invariably I leave every thing of real importance and difficulty to your very superior tact and experience.'

"Come, come, Gammon, that's a

drop of sweet oil."

get up very early that can find Caleb Quirk napping,' - Gammon felt at that moment that for several years he must have been a very early riser. And so the matter was arranged in the manner which Gammon had wished and determined upon, i. e. that Mr Titmouse should be left entirely to his management; and, after some little discussion as to the time and manner of the meditated advances, the partners parted. On entering his own room, Quirk closing his door, stood leaning against the side of the window, with his hands in his pockets, and his eyes instinctively resting on his banker's book, which lay on the table. He was in a very brown study; the subject on which his thoughts were busied being the prudence or imprudence of leaving Titmouse thus in the hands of Gammon. It might be all very well for Quirk to assert his self-confidence when in Gammon's presence, but he did not really feel it. He never left Gammon after any little difference of opinion, however friendly, without a secret suspicion that somehow or another Gammon had been too much for him, and always gained his purposes, without giving Quirk any handle of dissatisfaction. In fact, Quirk was thoroughly afraid of Gammon, and Gammon knew it. In the present instance, an undefinable but increasing suspicion and dissatisfaction forced him presently back again into Gammon's room.

"I say, Gammon, you understand, eh?-Fair play, you know," he commenced, with a sly embarrassed air, ill concealed under a forced smile.

66

Pray, Mr Quirk, what may be your meaning?" enquired Gammon, with unusual tartness, with an astonished air, and blushing violently, which was not surprising; for ever since Quirk had quitted him, Gammon's thoughts had been occupied with only one question, viz. how he should go to work with Titmouse to satisfy him that he (Gammon) was the only member of the firm that had a real disinterested regard for him, and so acquire a valuable control over him. Thus occupied, the observation of Quirk had completely taken Gammon aback; and he lost his presence of mind, of course his temper quickly following. "Will you favour me, Mr Quirk, with an explanation of your