of the King's Bench were likely to
terrify), and drank several glasses of punch in company with his host;
with whom in perfect calmness he talked over his affairs. That he
intended to pay his debt and quit the spunging-house next day is a
matter of course; no one ever was yet put in a spunging-house that did
not pledge his veracity he intended to quit it to-morrow. Mr. Bendigo
said he should be heartily glad to open the door to him, and in the
meantime sent out diligently to see among his friends if there were
any more detainers against the Captain, and to inform the Captain's
creditors to come forward against him.

Morgiana went home in profound grief, it may be imagined, and could
hardly refrain from bursting into tears when the sugar-loaf page asked
whether master was coming home early, or whether he had taken his key;
she lay awake tossing and wretched the whole night, and very early in
the morning rose up, and dressed, and went out.

Before nine o'clock she was in Cursitor Street, and once more joyfully
bounced into her husband's arms; who woke up yawning and swearing
somewhat, with a severe headache, occasioned by the jollification of the
previous night: for, strange though it may seem, there are perhaps no
places in Europe where jollity is more practised than in prisons for
debt; and I declare for my own part (I mean, of course, that I went
to visit a friend) I have dined at Mr. Aminadab's as sumptuously as at
Long's.

But it is necessary to account for Morgiana's joyfulness; which was
strange in her husband's perplexity, and after her sorrow of the
previous night. Well, then, when Mrs. Walker went out in the morning,
she did so with a very large basket under her arm. "Shall I carry the
basket, ma'am?" said the page, seizing it with much alacrity.

"No, thank you," cried his mistress, with equal eagerness: "it's only--"

"Of course, ma'am," replied the boy, sneering, "I knew it was that."

"Glass," continued Mrs. Walker, turning extremely red. "Have
the goodness to call a coach, sir, and not to speak till you are
questioned."

The young gentleman disappeared upon his errand: the coach was called
and came. Mrs. Walker slipped into it with her basket, and the page went
downstairs to his companions in the kitchen, and said, "It's a-comin'!
master's in quod, and missus has gone out to pawn the plate." When the
cook went out that day, she somehow had by mistake placed in her basket
a dozen of table-knives and