I fell, and kissed the place to make it well? My mother.
A charming woman. He's a liberal sort of fellow. We
must get him to do something for your mother. Does he
know her, Christopher?"

Kit shook his head, and glancing slyly at his questioner,
thanked him, and made off before he could say another
word.

"Humph!" said Mr. Swiveller pondering, "this is
queer. Nothing but mysteries in connexion with Brass's
house. I'll keep my own counsel, however. Everybody
and anybody has been in my confidence as yet, but now I
think I'll set up in business for myself. Queer--very
queer!"

After pondering deeply and with a face of exceeding
wisdom for some time, Mr. Swiveller drank some more
of the beer, and summoning a small boy who had been
watching his proceedings, poured forth the few remaining
drops as a libation upon the gravel, and bade him carry the
empty vessel to the bar with his compliments, and above
all things to lead a sober and temperate life, and abstain
from all intoxicating and exciting liquors. Having given
him this piece of moral advice for his trouble (which, as
he wisely observed, was far better than half-pence) the
Perpetual Grand Master of the Glorious Apollos thrust his
hands into his pockets and sauntered away; still pondering
as he went.

ALL that day, though he waited for Mr. Abel until the
evening, Kit kept clear of his mother's house, determined
not to anticipate by the slightest approach the pleasures of
the morrow, but to let them come in their full rush of
delight; for to-morrow was the great and long looked-for
epoch in his life--to-morrow was the end of his first quarter
--the day of receiving for the first time one fourth part of
his annual income of Six Pounds in one vast sum of Thirty
Shillings--to-morrow was to be a half-holiday devoted to
a whirl of entertainments, and little Jacob was to know
what oysters meant, and to see a play.

All manner of incidents combined in favour of the occa-
sion: not only had Mr. and Mrs. Garland forewarned him

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