us the office!"

"Why then we're on the spiriting lay--a flash blowen--a genty mort,
Jerry."

"Aha, that should mean shiners, plenty o' lour, Benno?"

"Fifty apiece near as nothing."

"Here's game as I'm a flash padder. What more, cove, what more? Let's
hear."

"Not me, Jerry--there's one a-coming as will tip you the lay--an old
pal, Jerry, a flaming buck o' the high pad, a reg'lar dimber-damber,
a--hist! 'Tis him at last, I think, but ha' your popps ready in case,
Jerry."

Here Benno arose and crossing a little unsteadily to the door stood
there listening: after a while came a knock, a muffled voice, and,
opening the door, he admitted three men. The first a great, rough
fellow who bore one arm in a sling, the second a little man,
_point-de-vice_ from silvered spurs to laced hat, yet whose elegant
appearance was somewhat marred by a black patch that obscured one eye;
the third was the obsequious Joseph, but now, as he stood blinking in
the candle-light, there was in his whole sleek person an air of
authority and command, and a grimness in the set of smooth-shaven jaw
that transfigured him quite.

At sight of him Jerry sprang up, nearly upsetting the table, and stood
to stare in gaping astonishment.

"'Tis Nick!" he cried at last, "Galloping Nick, as I'm a hell-fire,
roaring dog! 'Tis Nick o' the High Toby as hath diddled the
nubbing-cheat arter all, ecod! Ha, Nick--Nicky lad, tip us your famble
and burn all, says I!"

Joseph suffered his hand to be shaken and nodded.

"Drunk as usual, Jerry?"

"Ecod and so I am! Drunk enough t' shoot straight--drunk as I was that
night by the gravel-pits on Blackheath. You'll mind that night, Nick
and how you----"

"Bah, you're talking lushy, Jerry! Here's Captain Swift and the
Chicken so--let's to business."

"Aye, to business, my cullies!" cried Jerry saluting them in turn. "To
business--'tis the spiriting of a genty mort, eh Nick?"

"A fine lady, aye!" nodded Joseph. "There's two hundred guineas in't,
which is fifty for me and the rest atween you, share and share."

"Which is fair enough, rabbit me!" said the Captain.

"Now hark'ee all," continued Joseph beckoning them near and lowering
his voice. "You, Jerry and the Captain will come mounted and meet us
at the cross-roads beyond----"

"Cross-roads?" hiccoughed Jerry, "not me, Nick, no, no--there's
cross-roads everywhere hereabouts I tell'ee, and I don't know the
country hereabouts--no meetings at