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166 OLIVER TW IS: “A pretty thing it would be, wouldn’t it, to go and stop at the very first public | house outside the town, so that Sower- | berry, if he come up after us, might poke | in his old nose, and have us taken back in a cart with handcuffs on,” said Mr. Claypole in a jeeringtone. ‘ No, I shall go and lose myself among the narrowest streets I can find, and not stop till we come to the very out-of-the-wayest house I can set eyes on. ’Cod, you may thank your stars [ve got a head on: for if we hadn’t gone at first the wrong road on purpose, and come back across country, | you’d have been locked up hard and fast a week ago, my lady, and serve you right for being a fool.” | “| know Í ain’t as cunning as you are,” replied Charlotte; * but don’t put all the blame on me, and say I should have been locked up. You would have been, if I | had been, any way.” “ Yer took the money from the till, yer know yer did,” said Mr. Claypole. s] took it for you, Noah, dear,” rejoined Charlotte. | s Did I keep it?” asked Mr. Claypole. * No; you trusted in me, and let me carry it, like a dear, and so you are,” said the Jady, chucking him under the chin, aud drawing her arm through his. This was indeed the case; but, as it was not Mr. Claypole’s habit to repose a blind and foolish confidence in anybody, it should be observed, in justice to that gentleman, that he had trusted Charlotte to this extent, in order that if they were pursued, the money might be found on her, which would leave him an opportunity of asserting his utter innocence of any theft, and greatly facilitate his chances of escape. Of course he entered at this juncture into no explanation of his motives, and they walked on very lovingly together. In pursuance of his cautious plan, Mr. Claypole went on without halting until he arrived at the Angel, at Islington, where he wisely judged, from the crowd of passengers and number of vehicles that London began in earnest. Just pausing to observe which appeared the most crowded streets, and consequently the most to be avoided, he crossed into Saint John’s Road, and was soon deep in the obscurity of the intricate and dirty ways which, lying between Gray’s Inn Lane and Smithfield, render that part of the town one of the lowest and worst that alan áz; has left in the midst of Lonon. | Through these streets Noah Claypole walked, dragging Charlotte after him, now slipping into the kennel to embrace at a glance the whole external character of some small public houses, and now jogging on again as some fancied appearfor his purpose. _ At length he stopped in front of one more humble in appearance and more dirty than any he had yet seen, and having crossed over and surveyed it from the opposite pavement, graciously announced his intention of putting up there for the night. “So give us the bundle,” said Noah, . unstrapping it from the woman’s shoulders, and slinging it over his own; “and don’t yer speak except when yer spoken to. What’s the name of the house— t-h-r— three what?” c Cripples,” said Charlotte. c Three Cripples,” repeated Noah, “and a very good sign, too. Now, then, keep close at my heels, and come along.” With these injunctions, he pushed the rattling door with his shoulder, and entered the house, followed by his companion. There was nobody in the bar but a young Jew, who, with his two elbows on the counter, was reading a dirty newspaper. He stared very hard at Noah, and Noah stared very hard at him. If Noah had been attired in his Charity-boy’s dress, there might have been some reason for the Jew’s opening his eyes so wide; but as he had discarded the coat, and badge, and wore a short smockfrock over his leathers, there seemed no particular reason for his appearance exciting so much attention in a public house. “Ts this the " Three Cripples”” asked Noah. “That is the dabe of this house,” replied the Jew. “A gentleman we met on the road coming up from the country, recommended us here,” said Noah, nudging Charlotte, perhaps to call her attention to this most ingenious device for «ttracting respect, and perhaps to warn her to betray no surprise. 4 We want to sleep here to-night.” “T’b dot certaid you cad,” said Barney, who was the attendant sprite; "but [11 idquire.” c Show us the tap, and give us a bit of cold meat and a drop of beer while yer inguiring, will yer?” said Noah. Barney complied by ushering them into a small back-room, and setting the required viands before them; having done
