, and being the
earthly tabernacle of Joe Muggles, the dog-fancier of St.
Aldate's.

"How the deuce did you get by the lodge, Joe?" inquired Drysdale.
Joe, be it known, had been forbidden the college for importing a
sack of rats into the inner quadrangle, upon the turf of which a
match at rat-killing had come off between the terriers of two
gentlemen-commoners. This little event might have passed
unnoticed, but that Drysdale had bought from Joe a dozen of the
slaughtered rats, and nailed them on the doors of the four
college tutors, three to a door; whereupon inquiry had been made,
and Joe had been outlawed.

"Oh, please Mr. Drysdale, sir, I just watched the 'ed porter,
sir, across to the buttery to get his mornin', and then I tips a
wink to the under porter (pal o' mine, sir, the under porter),
and makes a run of it right up."

"Well, you'll be quod'ed if you're caught! Now what do you want?"

"Why, you see, Mr. Drysdale, sir," said Joe, in his most
insinuating tone, "my mate hev got an old dog brock, sir, from
the Heythrop kennel, and Honble Wernham, sir of New Inn 'All,
sir, he've jist been down our yard with a fighting chap from
town, Mr. Drysdale--in the fancy, sir, he is, and hev got a
matter of three dogs down a stoppin' at Milky Bill's. And he
says, says he, Mr. Drysdale, as arra one of he's dogs'll draw the
old un three times, while arra Oxford dog'll draw un twice, and
Honble Wernham chaffs as how he'll back un for a fi' pun
note;"--and Joe stopped to caress Jack, who was fawning on him as
if he understood every word.

"Well, Joe, what then?" said Drysdale.

"So you see, Mr. Drysdale, sir," went on Joe, fondling Jack's
muzzle, "my mate says, says he, 'Jack's the dog as can draw a
brock,' says he, 'agin any Lonnun dog as ever was whelped; and
Mr. Drysdale' says he, 'ain't the man as'd see two poor chaps
bounced out of their honest name by arra town chap, and a fi' pun
note's no more to he for the matter o' that, then to Honble
Wernham his self,' says my mate."

"So I'm to lend you Jack for a match, and stand the stakes?"

"Well, Mr. Drysdale, sir, that was what my mate was a sayin'."

"You're cool heads, you and your mate," said Drysdale; "here,
take a drink, and get out, and I'll think about it." Drysdale was
now in a defiant humor, and resolved not to let Sanders think
that his presence could keep him from any act of folly to which
he was inclined.

Joe took his drink; and just then several me