Page 125 [125]
could assume, if he would give them a
lift as far as Isleworth.”
“Ts that
“Jump up,” said the man.
your boy !”
“Yes; he’s my boy,” replied Sikes,
looking hard at Oliver, and putting his
hand abstractedly into the pocket where
the pistol was.
“Your father walks rather too quick
for you; don’t he, my man?” inquired the
driver, seeing that Oliver was out of
breath.
* Not a bit of it,” replied Sikes, inter¬
ing. “He’s used to it. Here, take
old of my hand, Ned. In with you!”
Thus addressing Oliver, he helped him
into the cart; and the driver, pointing to
a heap of sacks, told him to lie down
there, and rest himself.
As they passed the different milestones,
Oliver wondered more and more where
his companion meant to take him. Ken¬
sington, Hammersmith, Chiswick, Kew
Bridge, Brentford, were all passed; and
yet they kept on as steadily as if they had
only begun their journey. At length the
came to a public-house called the Coach
and Horses, a little way beyond which,
another road appeared to turn off. And
here the cart stopped.
Sikes dismounted with great precipita¬
tion, holding Oliver by the hand all the
while ; and, lifting him down directly, be¬
stowed a furious look upon him, and rap¬
ped the side-pocket with his fist in a very
significant manner.
(6 Good-bye, boy!" said the man.
“He’s sulky,” replied Sikes, giving
him a shake; “he’s sulky,—a young
dog! Don’t mind him.”
“Not I!" rejoined the other, getting
into his cart. " It’s a fine day, after all.”
And he drove away.
Sikes waited till he had fairly gone, and
then, telling Oliver he might look about
him if he wanted, once again led him for¬
ward on his journey.
They turned round to the left a short
way past the public-house, and then tak¬
ing a right-hand road, walked on for a
long time, passing many large gardens
and gentlemen’s houses on both sides of
the way, and at length crossing a little
bridge which led them into T'wickenham ;
from which town they still walked on
beer, until they reached another town, in
which, against the wall of a house, Oliver
“Hampton.” Turning round by a public¬
house which bore the sign of the Red
Lion, they kept on by the river side for a
short distance, and then Sikes, striking
off into a narrow street, walked straight
to an old public-house with a defaced sign¬
board, and ordered some dinner by the
kitchen-fire.
The kitchen was an old low-roofed
room, with a great beam across the mid¬
dle of the ceiling, and benches with high
backs to them by the fire, on which were
seated several rough men in smock-frocks,
drinking and smoking. ‘They took no
notice of Oliver, and very little of Sikes ;
and, as Sikes took very little notice of
them, he and his young comrade sat in a
corner by themselves, without being much
troubled by the company. _
| They had some cold meat for dinner,
and sat here so long after it, while Mr.
| Sikes indulged himself with three or four
pipes, that Oliver began to fee] quite cer¬
tain they were not going any further.
Being much tired with the walk and get¬
ting up so early, he dozed a little at first ;
and then, quite overpowered by fatigue
(and the fumes of the tobacco, fell fast
asleep.
It was quite dark when he was awak¬
ened by a push from Sikes. ae
himself sufficiently to sit up and loo
about him, he found that worthy in close
fellowship and communication with a la¬
bouring man, over a pint of ale.
“So, you’re going on to Lower Halli¬
ford, are you?" inquired Sikes.
c Yes, I am,” replied the man, who
seemed a little the worse—or better, as
"the case might be—for drinking; “ and
not slow about it either. My horse hasn’t
got a load behind him going back, as he
had coming up in the mornin’, and he
won’t be long a-doing of it. THere’s luck
tohim! Ecod, he’s a good "un !”
“Could you give my boy and me a lift
, as far as there!" demanded Sikes, push¬
| ing the ale towards his new friend.
“If you re going directly, I can,” re¬
plied the man, looking out of the pot. “ Are
you going to Halliford ?”
“Going on to Shepperton,” replied
Sikes.
“I’m your man as far as I go,” replied
the other. ‘Is all paid, Becky?"
“ Yes, the other gentleman’s paid,” re¬
plied the girl.
“Tsay!” said the man with tipsy gra¬
vity; “that won’t do, you know.”
| Why not?’ rejoined Sikes. “ You’re
a-going to accommodate us, and wot’s to
prevent my standing treat for a pint or
| so, in return ?”
The stranger reflected upon this argu¬
ment with a very profound face, and, hav¬