a

baggage, if I don't give her something Huckaback briskly; "come, Titty, out to-morrow."

with it-out with it; no secrets between “ Well, if I really thought-would friends, Titty." you mind giving ine, now, a bit of “ No, I'll be if I do, I won't black and white for it?”

spoil it all again ; and now, since I've “ I'll do any thing you like; only let out as much, which I didn't mean let me feel the ten shillings in my to do, I'll tell you something else—ten fingers."

shillings is no use to me, I must have « Well, no sooner said than done, a pound.” if you're a man of your word,” said Titty, Titty!” exclaimed Hucka. Huckaback, in a trice producing a bit back, with unaffected concern. of paper, and a pen and ink.

" And won't give more than fifty only just for the fun of it; but,Lord! for it when I get my property either"what stuff! - I'm only bargaining for a [Huckaback whistled aloud, and with hundred pounds of moonshine. Ha, a significant air buttoned up the pocket ha! I shall never see the colour of your which contained the money ; intimamoney, not I; so I may as well say ting that now the negotiation was all two hundred when I'm about it, as at an end, for that Titmouse's new one hundred"-

terms were quite out of the question ;] “Why, hem! Two hundred, Huck, “ for I know where I can get twenty is rather a large figure; one hundred's pounds easily, only I liked to come to odds enough, I'm sure.”

a friend first.” “ P'raps, Tit, you forget the “ You aren't behaving much like a licking you gave me the other day. friend to one as has always been a fast Suppose I was to go to an attorney, friend of yours, Titty! A pound !and get the law of you, what a sight I haven't got it to part with, that's of damages I should have—three hun. flat; so, if that's your figure, why, you dred pounds at least."

must even go to your other friend, and Titmouse appeared even yet hesi. leave poor Hucky.” tating.

• Well, I don't mind saying only “ Well, then !” said Huckaback, ten shillings," quoth Titmouse, fearflinging down his pen, suppose I ing that he had been going on rather have them yet."

too fast. “ Come, come, Hucky, 'tis all past “Ah, that's something reasonableand gone, all that.”

like, Titty! and, to meet you like “ Is it? Well, I never! I shall friend, I'll take fifty pounds instead of never be again the same man I was a hundred; but yon won't object now before that licking. I've a sort of a to-you know-a deposit; that ring of -a-of a-feeling inside, as if—my yours. Well, well! it don't signify, breast was-I shall carry it to my since it goes against you: so now, here grave-if I sha'n't!”

goes, a bit of paper for ten shillings, [It never once occurred to Titmouse, ha, ha!” and taking a pen, after not having his friend Mr Gammon at pause, in which he called to mind as his elbow, that the plaintiff in the ac- much of the phraseology of money tion of Huckaback v. Titmouse might securities as he could, he drew up the have been slightly at a loss for a wit- following stringent document:ness of the assault ; but something

« Know all Men That you are Bound quite as good in its way- a heaven-sent suggestion-did occur to him.]

to Mr R. Huckaback Promising The ** Ab," said Titmouse suddenly, Pounds in cash out of the Estate, if

Bearer on Demand To Pay Fifty that's true ; and uncommon sorry am I ; but still, a hundred pounds is you Get it. a hundred pounds, and a large sum for

“ (Witness,) 22d July 182_,

a the use of ten shillings, and a licking ;

“ R. HUCKABACK."| but never you think it's all moonshine • There, Titty--if you're an honest about my business with Messrs Quirk, man, and would do as you would be Gammon, and Snap! You should done by," said Huckaback, after signonly have heard what I've heard ing his own name as above, handing to-day from those gents; hem! but I the pen to Titmouse, “ sign that ; just won't split again either."

to show your honour, like-for, in " Eh? What? Heard from those course, I sha'n't ever come on you for gents at Saffron Hill ?” interrupted the money--get as much as you may."

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A blessed thought occurred to poor He was not aware that all this while, Titmouse in his extremity, viz. that although he heard nothing from them, there was no stamp on the above in. he occupied almost exclusively the strument, (and he had never seen a thoughts of those distinguished pracpromissory-note or bill of exchange titioners in the law, Messrs Quirk, without one ;) and he signed it in. Gammon, and Snap. They, in comstantly, with many fervent expressions mon with Huckaback, had an intense of gratitude. Huckaback received the desire to share in his anticipated good valuable security with apparently a fortune, and determined to do so accareless air ; and after cramming it cording to their opportunities. The into his pocket, as if it had been in excellent Huckaback (a model of a reality only a bit of waste paper, usurer on a small scale) promptly and counted out ten shillings into the eager adroitly seized hold of the very first hand of Titmouse; who, having thus opportunity that presented itself, for most unexpectedly succeeded in his securing a little return hereafter for mission, soon afterwards departed— the ten shillings, with which he had each of this pair of worthies fancying so generously parted when he could that he had succeeded in cheating so ill afford it; while Messrs Quirk, the other. Huckaback, having very Gammon, and Snap were racking their cordially shaken Titmouse by the brains, and, from time to time, those hand, heartily damned him upon shut- of Messrs Mortmain and Frankpledge, ting the door on him ; and then to discover some instrument strong anxiously perused and re-perused his and large enough to cut a fat slice for

security,” wondering whether it was themselves out of the fortune they were possible for Titmouse at any time endeavouring, for that purpose, to put thereafter to evade it, and considering within the reach of Mr Titmouse. A by what means he could acquaint him. rule of three mode of stating the matself with the progress of Titmouse's ter would be thus: as the inconveaffairs. The latter gentleman, as he nience of Huckaback’s parting with his hurried homeward, dwelt for a long ten shillings and his waiver of damages while upon only one thought-how for a very cruel assault, were to his fortunate was the omission of his friend contingent gain, hereafter, of fifty to have stamp upon his security! pounds: so were Messrs Quirk, GamWhen and where, thought he, was it mon, and Snap's risk, exertions, outthat he had heard that nothing would lay, and benefit conferred on Titdo without a stamp? However, he mouse, to their contingent gain of ten had got the. ten shillings safe ; and thousand pounds.

The principal Huckaback might wait for his fifty point of difference between them was pounds till—But in the mean-while as to the mode of securing their he, Titmouse, seemed to stand a future recompense ; in which it may fair chance of going to the dogs; the have been observed by the attentive ten shillings, which he had just ob- reader, with respect to the precipitancy tained with so much difficulty, were to of Huckaback and hesitating caution find their way immediately into the of Messrs Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, pockets of his landlady, whom it might that_thus fools" (e.g. Huckaback) pacify for but a day or two, and what crushed in where angels" (i. e. Messrs quarter was he now to look to for the Quirk, Gammon, and Snap) “ feared smallest assistance? What was to be. to tread.” Let me not, however, for a come of him? Titmouse was a miser- moment, insinuate that both these able fool; but thoughts such as these, parties were actuated by only one in such circumstances as his, would motive, i. e. to make a prey of this force themselves into the mind of even little monkey millionaire. 'Tis true a fool! How could he avoid—oh, hors that Huckaback appears to have driven rid thought !-soon parting with, or at rather a hard bargain with his distressleast pawning, his ring and his other ed friend, (and almost every one that, precious trinkets? He burst into a per- being similarily situated, has occasion spiration at the mere thought of seeing for such services as Titmouse sought them hanging ticketed for sale in the from Huckaback, will find himself window of old Balls ! As he slowly called upon to pay pretty nearly the ascended the stairs which led to his same price for them ;) but it was atapartment, he felt as if he were fol- tended with one good effect ;-for the lowing some unseen conductor to a specific interest in Titmouse's future dungeon.

o6 Gents,

copy of it.

quickened his energies and sharpened 10th To Go on wh Day Shall Take his wits in the service of his friend. leave Of Mr Tag-rag (who on my But for this, indeed, it is probable Return Shall be glad to See Buried that Mr Huckaback's door would have or in the Workhouse). Have wrote become as hopelessly closed against This letter Only to Save Yr RespectTitmouse as was that of Messrs able Selves trouble wh Trust You Quirk, Gammon, and Snap. Some wd not have Taken, two or three nights after the little " And Remain, transaction between the two friends which I have been describing, Hucka- “ Yr humble Unworthy Servt back called upon Titmouse, and after

“ T. TITHOUSE. greeting him rather cordially, told “ P.S.-Hope you will Particularly him that he had come to put him up Remember me to Mr Gammon. What to a trick upon the Saffron Hill people, is to become of me, know nothing, that would tickle them into a little being so troubled. Am Humbly Deactivity in his affairs. The trick was termined not to employ any Gents in --the sending a letter to those gentle. This matter except yi most Respectmen calculated to—but why attempt able House, and shd be most Truly to characterise it? I have the origi. Sorry to Go Abroad whn am really nal document lying before me, which Often thinking of in Earnest. (Unless was sent by Titmouse the very next something Speedily Turns Up, famorning to Messrs Quirk, Gammon, vourable, T. T.-Shd like (By the and Snap; and here follows a verbatiin way) to know if you shd be so Dis;

posed what yr recpe house wd take for

my Chances Down (Out and out) In “ No. 9, Closet Court, Oxford Street. a Round Sum (Ready money) And To Messrs Quirk & Co.

hope if they Write It will be by Next “ Gents:-Am Sorry to Trouble Post or shall be Gone Abroad." You, But Being Drove quite desperate at my Troubles (which have bro' me to Old Quirk, as soon as he had finishmy Last Penny a Week ago) and Mrsed the perusal of this skilful document, Squallop my Landlady wi distrain on started, a little disturbed, from his seat, Me only that There is nothing To and bustled into Mr Gammon's room, distrain on, Am Determined to Go with Mr Titmouse's open letter in his Abroad in a Week's Time, and shall hand.--" Gammon," said he, “ just Never come Any More back again cast your eye over this, will you? with Great Grief wh Is What I now Really, we must look after Titmouse, Write To tell You Of (Hoping you or he'll be gone !” Mr Gammon took Will please Take No notice of It) So the letter rather eagerly, read delibeNeed give Yourselves No Further rately through it, and then looked up Concern with my Concerns Seeing at his fidgety partner, who stood anx. The Estate is Not To Be Had and iously eyeing him, and smiled, Am Sorry you Shd Have Had so • Well, Gammon, I really thinkMuch trouble With My Affairs wh eh? Don't you?':cd not Help. Shd have Much liked . " Upon my word, Mr Quirk, this The Thing, only it Was Not worth nearly equals his former letter; and Stopping For, or Would, but Since it also seems to have produced on you It Was not God's Will be Done which the desired effect." it will. Havg raised a Trifle ('n my “ Well, Gammon, and what of that? Future Prospects (wh am Certain Because my heart don't happen to be There is Nothing In) from a True quite a piece of fiint, you're always"Friend'' [need it be guessed at whose “ You might have been a far weal. instance these words found their way thier man than you are, but for that into the letter ?] “ wh was certainly soft heart of yours, Mr Quirk,”—said uncommon inconvenient to That Per. Gammon, with a bland smile. (!) son But He wd do Anything to Do “ I know I might, Gammon-I me good As he says Am going to know it. I thank my God I'm not so raise A Little More from a Gent That keen after business that I can't feel does Things of That Nature wh will for this poor soul--really, his state's help me with Expense in Going quite deplorable!" Abroad (which place I Never mean “ Then, my dear sir, put your hand to Return from). Have fixed for the into your pocket at once, as I was

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suggesting last night, and allow him a 6. There! There !--Always the way weekly sum.”

_but what does it signify ?-Come, A-hem! hem! Gammon”_said come, Gammon, we know each other Quirk, sitting down, thrusting his too well to quarrel !—I don't mean any hands into his waistcoat pockets, and thing disrespectful to Mr Frank pledge, looking very earnestly at Gammon. but when Mortmain has been one's con

“ Well, then,” replied that gentle- veyancer these thirty-three years, and man, shrugging his shoulders, in never once_hem !_but, however, he answer to the mute appeal-"write tells me that we are standing on sure and say you won't—'tis soon done, and ground, or that he don't know what so the matter ends."

sure ground is, and sees no objection " Why, Gammon, you see, if he to our even taking preliminary steps in goes abroad,” said Quirk, after a long the matter, which indeed I begin to pause—“ we lose him for ever." think it high time to do !-And as for

6. Pho!-go abroad? He's too much securing ourselves in respect of any for you, Mr Quirk-he is, indeed, ha, advances to Titmouse-he suggests our ha!”

taking a bond, conditioned-say, for 6. You’re fond of a laugh at my ex- the payment of £500 or £1000 on depense, Gammon; it's quite pleasant, mand, under cover of which one might you can't think how I like it!" advance him, you know, just such

“ I beg your pardon, Mr Quirk- sums as, and when we pleased ; one but you really misunderstand me; I could stop when one thought fit; one was laughing only at the absurd incon- could begin with three or four pounde sistency of the fellow: he's a most a-week, and increase as his prospects transparent fool, and takes us for such. improvedmeh!" Go abroad! Ridiculous pretence !-- Is You know I've no objection to In his precious postscript he undoes such an arrangement; but consider, all-he

says he is only often thinking of Mr Quirk, we must have patience; it going—pshaw !—That the wretch is will take a long while to get our verin great distress, is very probable— dict, you know, and perhaps as long but it must go hard with him before to secure it afterwards; and this hor. he either commits suicide or goes rid little wretch all the while on our abroad, I warrant him ; I've no fears hands; what the deuce to do with him, on that score—but there is a point in I really don't know !” the letter that may be worth consider- Humph, humph!”grunted Quirk, ing—I mean the fellow's hint about looking very earnestly and uneasily at borrowing money on his prospects.” Gammon.

"6 Yes, to be sure—the very thing “ And what I chiefly fear is this,-that struck me.” [Gammon faintly suppose he should get dissatisfied with smiled.] “ I never thought much the amount of our advances, and, abont the other part of the letter-all knowing the state and prospects of the stuff about going abroad-pho !-But, cause, should turn restive ? to be sure, if he's tryirig to raise money, " Ay, confound it, Gammon, all he may get into keen hands--Do you that should be looked to, shouldn't really think he has ?”

it ?" interrupted Quirk, with an ex" Oh no--of course its only a little ceedingly chagrined air. lie of his-or he must have found out “ To be sure,” continued Gammon, some greater fool than himself, which thoughtfully; “by that time he may I had not supposed possible. But have got substantial friends about however that may be, I really think, him, whom he could persuade to beMr Quirk, its high time that we should come security to us for further and past take some decided step.”

advances.” “ Well,-yes, it may be," said “ Nay, now you name the thing, Quirk, slowly-roand I must say that Gammon; it was what I was thinking Mortmain encouraged me a good deal of only the other day:" he dropped his the day before yesterday.”

voice--" Isn't there one or two of “ Well, and you know what Mr our own clients, hem!". Frank pledge"

Why, certainly, there's old Fang; • Oh, as to Frankpledge-hem !" I don't think it impossible he might be

“ What of Mr Frank pledge, Mr induced to do a little usury-it's all Quirk ?” enquired Gammon, rather he lives for, Mr Quirk; and the setartly.

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curity is good in reality, though per- get up very early that can find Caleb haps not exactly marketable." Quirk napping,"

Gammon felt at Nay; but, on second thoughts, that moment that for several years

he why not do it ourselves, if any thing must have been a very early riser. can be made of it?"

And so the matter was arranged in “ That, however, will be for future the manner which Gammon had consideration. In the mean time, we'd wished and determined upon, i.e. that better send for Titmouse, and manage Mr Titmouse should be left entirely him a little more-discreetly, eh? We to his management; and, after some did not exactly hit it off' last time, did little discussion as to the time and we, Mr Quirk?" said Gammon, smil. manner of the meditated advances, the ing rather sarcastically. . We must partners parted. On entering his own keep him at Tag-rag's, if the thing room, Quirk closing his door, stood can be done, for the present, at all leaning against the side of the winevents."

dow, with his hands, in his pockets, “ To be sure; he couldn't then and his eyes instinctively resting on his come buzzing about us, like a gad-fly; banker's book, which lay on the table. he'd drive us madin a week, I'm sure. He was in a very brown study; the

« Oh, I'd rather give up every subject on which his thoughts were thing than submit to it. It can't be busied being the prudence or imdifficult for us, I should think, to bind prudence of leaving Titmouse thus in him to our own terms-to put a bridle the hands of Gammon. It might be in the ass's mouth? Let us say that all very well for Quirk to assert his we insist on his signing an undertak. self-confidence when in Gammon's ing to act implicitly according to our presence, but he did not really feel it. directions in every thing.”

He never left Gammon after any litile “ Ay, to be sure; on pain of our difference of opinion, however friendinstantly turning him to the right. ly, without a secret suspicion that about. I fancy it will do, now !” somehow or another Gammon had

“ And, now, Mr Quirk,” said Gam- been too much for him, and always mon, with as much of peremptoriness gained his purposes, without giving in his tone as he could venture upon Quirk any handle of dissatisfaction. to Mr Quirk, “you really must do me In fact, Quirk was thorougbly afraid the favour to leave the management of of Gammon, and Gammon knew it. this little wretch to me. You see, he In the present instance, an undefinable seems to have taken-Heaven save the but increasing suspicion and dissatismark !-a fancy to me, poor fellow ! faction forced him presently back and-and--it must be owned, we mis- again into Gammon's room. carried sadly, the other night, on a " I say, Gammon, you understand, certain grand occasion—eh ? " eh ?— Fair play, you know,” he com

Quirk shook his head dissentingly. menced, with a sly embarrassed air, ill “ Well, then," continued Gammon, concealed under a forced smile. one thing I am determined on: one “ Pray, Mr Quirk, what may be or the other of us, Mr Quirk, shall your meaning ?” enquired Gammon, undertake Titmouse, solely and singly. with unusual tartness, with an asto. Pray, for Heaven's sake, tackle him nished air, and blushing violently, yourself—a disagreeable duty! You which was not surprising ; for ever know, my dear sir, how invariably I since Quirk had quitted him, Gamleave every thing of real importance mon's thoughts bad been occupied and difficulty to your very superior with only one question, viz. how he tact and experience.”

should go to work with Titmouse to " Come, come, Gammon, that's a satisfy him that he (Gammon) was drop of sweet oil.”

the only member of the firm that had Quirk might well say so, for he felt a real disinterested regard for him, its softening, smoothing effects al and so acquire a valuable control over ready.

him. Thus occupied, the observation Upon my word and honour, Mr of Quirk had completely taken GamQuirk, I'm in earnest. Pshaw !-and mon aback; and he lost his presence you must know it. I know you too of mind, of course his temper quickly well, my dear sir, to attempt to”. following. “ Will you favour me, Mr

Certainly, I must say, those must Quirk, with an explanation of your

a