r
confined for room here, but you must put up with all that, when you come
to see a young bachelor. Walk in. You've seen this gentleman before,
I think?' Mr. Pickwick shook hands with Mr. Benjamin Allen, and his
friends followed his example. They had scarcely taken their seats when
there was another double knock.

'I hope that's Jack Hopkins!' said Mr. Bob Sawyer. 'Hush. Yes, it is.
Come up, Jack; come up.'

A heavy footstep was heard upon the stairs, and Jack Hopkins presented
himself. He wore a black velvet waistcoat, with thunder-and-lightning
buttons; and a blue striped shirt, with a white false collar.

'You're late, Jack?' said Mr. Benjamin Allen.

'Been detained at Bartholomew's,' replied Hopkins.

'Anything new?'

'No, nothing particular. Rather a good accident brought into the
casualty ward.'

'What was that, sir?' inquired Mr. Pickwick.

'Only a man fallen out of a four pair of stairs' window; but it's a very
fair case indeed.'

'Do you mean that the patient is in a fair way to recover?' inquired Mr.
Pickwick. 'No,' replied Mr. Hopkins carelessly. 'No, I should rather
say he wouldn't. There must be a splendid operation, though,
to-morrow--magnificent sight if Slasher does it.'

'You consider Mr. Slasher a good operator?' said Mr. Pickwick. 'Best
alive,' replied Hopkins. 'Took a boy's leg out of the socket last
week--boy ate five apples and a gingerbread cake--exactly two minutes
after it was all over, boy said he wouldn't lie there to be made game
of, and he'd tell his mother if they didn't begin.'

'Dear me!' said Mr. Pickwick, astonished.

'Pooh! That's nothing, that ain't,' said Jack Hopkins. 'Is it, Bob?'

'Nothing at all,' replied Mr. Bob Sawyer.

'By the bye, Bob,' said Hopkins, with a scarcely perceptible glance at
Mr. Pickwick's attentive face, 'we had a curious accident last night. A
child was brought in, who had swallowed a necklace.'

'Swallowed what, Sir?' interrupted Mr. Pickwick. 'A necklace,' replied
Jack Hopkins. 'Not all at once, you know, that would be too much--you
couldn't swallow that, if the child did--eh, Mr. Pickwick? ha, ha!'
Mr. Hopkins appeared highly gratified with his own pleasantry, and
continued--'No, the way was this. Child's parents were poor people
who lived in a court. Child's eldest sister bought a necklace--common
necklace, made of large black wooden beads. Child being fond of toys,
cribbed the necklace, hid it, played with it, cut the string, and
swallo