sent on errands by their mothers, with sixpences and shillings; and the lay is just to take their money awaythey've always got it ready in their hands, 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 ecstasy. "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 you can 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?" "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, Charlotte?" 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 yes, I understand-perfectly," replied Fagin, telling the truth for once. "Good night! Good night!" With many adieus and good wishes, Mr. Fagin went his way. Noah Claypole, bespeaking his good lady's attention, proceeded to enlighten her relative to the arrangement he had made, with all that haughtiness and air of superiority, becoming, not only a member of the sterner sex, but a gen "Will ten do?" asked the Jew, add-tleman who appreciated the dignity of ing, as Mr. Claypole nodded assent, a special appointment on the kinchin "What name shall I tell my good lay, in London and its vicinity. friend?" CHAPTER XLIII. WHEREIN IS SHOWN HOW THE ARTFUL DODGER GOT INTO TROUBLE. Bolter. "AND so it was you that was your "Oh, the devil!" exclaimed Mr. 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, my dear," replied Fagin, with his most insinuating grin. "He hasn't as good a one as himself anywhere." "Except sometimes," replied Morris Bolter, assuming the air of a man of the world. "Some people are nobody's enemies but their own, yer know." "Don't believe that!" said the Jew. "When a man's his own enemy, it's only because he's too much his own friend; not because he's careful for everybody but himself. Pooh! pooh! There ain't such a thing in nature." "There oughtn't to be, if there is," replied Mr. Bolter. "You see," pursued the Jew, affect. ing 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. "No, I don't!" retorted the Jew. "I'm of the same importance to you, as you are to yourself." "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." "Only think," said the Jew, shrug "That stands to reason," said the Jew. "Some conjurers say that num-ging his shoulders, and stretching out ber three is the magic number, and some say number seven. It's neither, my friend, neither. It's number "Ha ha!" cried Mr. Bolter. "Number one for ever." "In a little community like ours, my dear," said the Jew, who felt it necessary to qualify this position, 66 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 unloose-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, 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" the gallows, my dear, is an ugly young people." finger-post, which points out a very short and sharp turning that has stopped many 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 cunning old codger!" ance. Mr. Fagin saw, with delight, that this tribute to his powers 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 acquaintTo 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." "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 semicomical 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 twopenny-halfpenny sneeze-box! I never thought he'd a 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 walables, and go out as a gentleman, and not like a common prig, without no honour nor glory!" 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. Ain'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!" "Well, it is a honour that is!" said Charley, a little consoled. With this expression of feeling for "He shall have all he wants," conhis unfortunate friend, Master Bates tinued the Jew. 'He shall be kept sat himself on the nearest chair within the Stone Jug, Charley, like a genan aspect of chagrin and despon- tleman. Like a gentleman! With his beer every day, and money in his pocket to pitch and toss with, if he can't spend it." dency. "What do you talk about his having neither honour nor glory for!" exclaimed Fagin, darting an angry look at his pupil. "Wasn't he always top-ley 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?" 66 "No, shall he though?" cried CharBates. 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 laughter-here the court was convulsed-eh, Charley, eh?" "'Cause it isn't on the rec-ord, is "Ha! ha!" laughed Master Bates, it?" said Charley, chafed into perfect"what a lark that would be, wouldn't defiance of his venerable friend by the it, Fagin? say, how the Artful would current of his regrets; "'cause it can't bother 'em, wouldn't he?" come out in the 'dictment; 'cause nobody will never know half of what he How will he stand in the Newgate Calendar? P'raps not be there was. "Would!" cried the Jew. shall-he will!" "He "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!" wards the door, and shaking his head with a kind of sober alarm. 'No, no-none of that. It's not in my department, that ain't." "Wot department has he got, Fagin?" inquired Master Bates, surveying Noah's lank form with much disgust. "The cutting away when there's anything wrong, and the eating all the wittles when there's everything right; is that his branch ?" "Never mind," retorted Mr. Bolter; and don't yer take liberties with yer superiors, little boy, or yer 'll find yerself in the wrong shop." 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 exquisite 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 today, by some handy means or other," said Fagin. "Let me think." "Shall I go?" asked Charley. "Not for the world," replied the Jew. "Are you mad, my dear; stark mad, that you'd walk into the very place where-No, Charley, no. One is enough to lose at a time." "You don't mean to go yourself, I suppose?" said Charley with a humorous leer. "Then why don't you send this new cove?" asked Master Bates, laying his hand on Noah's arm. 66 Nobody knows him." "Why, if he didn't mind-" observed the Jew. Master Bates laughed so vehemently at this magnificent threat, that it was some time before Fagin could interpose, and represent to Mr. Bolter that he incurred no possible danger in visiting the police-office; that, inasmuch as no account of the little affair in which he had been engaged, nor any description of his person, had yet been forwarded to the metropolis, it was very probable that he was not even suspected of having resorted to it for shelter; and that, if he were properly disguised, it would be as safe a spot for him to visit as any in London, inasmuch as it would be, of all places, the very last, to which he could be supposed likely to resort of his own free will. Persuaded, in part, by these repre "That wouldn't quite fit," replied sentations, but overborne in a much Fagin shaking his head. greater degree by his fear of the Jew, Mr. Bolter at length consented, with a very bad grace, to undertake the expedition. By Fagin's directions, he immediately substituted for his own attire, a waggoner's frock, velveteen breeches, and leather leggings: all of which articles the Jew had at hand. He was likewise furnished with a felt hat well garnished with turnpike tickets; and a carter's whip. Thus equipped, he was to saunter into the office, as some country fellow from Covent Garden market might be sup "Mind!" interposed Charley. "What should he have to mind?" "Really nothing, my dear," said Fagin, turning to Mr. Bolter, "really nothing." "Oh, I dare say about that, yer know," observed Noah, backing to |