again, when
of course the boy (who thought his companion one of the most dashing
fellows alive) laughed also.

'You'd hardly think, would you now,' said Price, turning towards Mr.
Pickwick, 'that that chap's been here a week yesterday, and never once
shaved himself yet, because he feels so certain he's going out in half
an hour's time, thinks he may as well put it off till he gets home?'

'Poor man!' said Mr. Pickwick. 'Are his chances of getting out of his
difficulties really so great?'

'Chances be d--d,' replied Price; 'he hasn't half the ghost of one. I
wouldn't give THAT for his chance of walking about the streets this time
ten years.' With this, Mr. Price snapped his fingers contemptuously, and
rang the bell.

'Give me a sheet of paper, Crookey,' said Mr. Price to the attendant,
who in dress and general appearance looked something between a bankrupt
glazier, and a drover in a state of insolvency; 'and a glass of
brandy-and-water, Crookey, d'ye hear? I'm going to write to my father,
and I must have a stimulant, or I shan't be able to pitch it strong
enough into the old boy.' At this facetious speech, the young boy, it is
almost needless to say, was fairly convulsed.

'That's right,' said Mr. Price. 'Never say die. All fun, ain't it?'

'Prime!' said the young gentleman.

'You've got some spirit about you, you have,' said Price. 'You've seen
something of life.'

'I rather think I have!' replied the boy. He had looked at it through
the dirty panes of glass in a bar door.

Mr. Pickwick, feeling not a little disgusted with this dialogue, as well
as with the air and manner of the two beings by whom it had been carried
on, was about to inquire whether he could not be accommodated with a
private sitting-room, when two or three strangers of genteel appearance
entered, at sight of whom the boy threw his cigar into the fire, and
whispering to Mr. Price that they had come to 'make it all right' for
him, joined them at a table in the farther end of the room.

It would appear, however, that matters were not going to be made all
right quite so speedily as the young gentleman anticipated; for a very
long conversation ensued, of which Mr. Pickwick could not avoid hearing
certain angry fragments regarding dissolute conduct, and repeated
forgiveness. At last, there were very distinct allusions made by the
oldest gentleman of the party to one Whitecross Street, at which the
young gentleman, notwithstanding his primeness a