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80 afore last, sounding the panels of the doors and shutters; the crib’s barred up at night like a jail, but there’s one part we can crack, safe and softly.” “Which is that, Bill?’ asked the Jew eagerly. c Why,” whispered Sikes, “as you cross the lawn r* “ Yes, yes,” said the Jew, bending his head forward, with his eyes almost starting out of it. “Umph!” cried Sikes, stopping short as the girl, scarcely moving her head, looked suddenly round and pointed for an instant to the Jew’s face. which part it is. You can’t do it without me, I know; but it’s best to be on the safe side when one deals with you.” “As you like, my dear, as you like,” replied the Jew, biting his lip. “Is there no help wanted but yours and Toby’s?”’ “None,” said Sikes, “’cept a centrebit and a boy; the first we’ve both got; the second you must find us.” “A boy!” exclaimed the Jew. ‘Oh! then it is a panel, eh?” “ Never mind wot it is!” replied Sikes; “T want a boy, and he mustn’t be a big un. Lord!" said Mr. Sikes reflectively, “if I’d only got that young boy of Ned, the chimbley-sweeper’s!—he kept him small on purpose, and let him out by the job. But the father gets lagged, and then the Juvenile Delinquent Society comes, and takes the boy away from a trade where he was arning money, teaches him to read and write, and in time makes a *prentice of him. And so they go on,” said Mr. Sikes, his wrath rising with the recollection of his wrongs,—* so they go on; and, if they’d got money enough, (which it’s a Providence they have not, we shouldn’t have a half-a-dozen boys le in the whole trade in a year or two.” ‘‘ No more we should,” acquiesced the Jew, who had been considering during this speech, and had only caught the last sentence. “Bill!” s What now ?” inquired Sikes. The Jew nodded his head towards Nancy, who was still gazing at the fire; and intimated by a sign that he would have her to leave the room. Sikes shrugged his shoulders impatiently, as if he thought the precaution unnecessary, but complied, nevertheless, by requesting Miss Nancy to fetch him a jug of beer. “ You don’t want any beer,” said Nancy, folding her arms, and retaining her Feat very composedly. [ tell you I do!” replied Sikes. “Goon, Fagin. I know what he’s going to say, Bill; he needn’t mind me.”’ he Jew still hesitated, and Sikes locked from one to the other in some surprise. c Why, you don’t mind the old girl, do you, Fagin?’ he asked at length. “‘ You ’ve known her Jong enough to trust her, or the devil’s in it: she ain’t one to blab, are you, Nancy?" 7 should think not !” replied the young lady, drawing her chair up to the table, and putting her elbows upon it. “No, no, my dear —I know you "re not,” said the Jew; “ but——” and again the old man paused. “ But wot?” inquired Sikes. “T didn’t know whether she mightn’t p’raps be out of sorts, you know, my dear, c she was the other night," replied the ew. At this confession Miss Nancy burst into a loud laugh, and, swallowing a glass of brandy, shook her head with an air of defiance, and burst into sundry exclamations of “* Keep the game a-going!” § Never say die!” and the like, which seemed at once to have the effect of re-assuring both gentlemen, for the Jew nodded his head with a satisfied air, and resumed_his seat, as did Mr. Sikes likewise. 6 Now, Fagin,” said Miss Nancy with a laugh, “ tell Bill at once about Oliver !" s Ah! you’re a clever one, my dear; the sharpest girl I ever saw!” said the Jew, patting her on the neck. “It was about Oliver I was going to speak, sure enough. Ha! ha! ha!” ké What about him?" demanded Sikes. c He "s the boy for you, my dear,” replied the Jew in a hoarse whisper, laying his finger on the side of his nose, and grinning frightfully. “He!” exclaimed Sikes. “Have him, Bill! said Nancy. “I would if I was in your place. He mayn’t be so much up as any of the others; but that’s not what you want if he’s only to open a door for you. Depend upon it he’s a safe one, Bill.” “T know he is,” rejoined Fagin ; " he’s been in good training these last few weeks, and it’s time he began to work for his bread ; besides, the others are all too big.” “ Well, he is just the size I want,” said Mr. Sikes, ruminating. “And will do every thing you want, Bill, my dear,” interposed the Jew; “ he can’t help himself;—that is, if you only frighten him enough.” c Frighten him !” echoed Sikes. " It 11 be no sham frightening, mind you. If
