d full of
kennels, to which dogs of all sorts and sizes were attached, none of
whom looked as if it would be safe to pat them. There were a good many
pigeons flying about, but he did not care for pigeons except in a pie.
Perry's hawk was only interesting to Perry. There was a monkey on a
pole in a corner, but he was a melancholy monkey, who did nothing but
raise and lower his eyebrows.

"Does the gentleman want a dawg?" asked Slam.

"He will see," replied Saurin; "if there is a real good one that takes
his fancy he may buy him. It's all right; he's a friend of mine. Have
you got that tobacco for me?"

"To be sure; you will find it in your drawer."

Saurin went to a little wooden outhouse which contained a table, a chest
of drawers, a cask of dog-biscuits, cages of rats, and other
miscellaneous articles, and opening a locker which seemed to be
appropriated to him, he took out a meerschaum pipe and a tobacco-pouch,
and came out presently, emitting columns of blue fragrant smoke from his
mouth. Edwards looked at his friend with increased respect, the idea of
being intimate with a fellow who could smoke like that made him feel an
inch taller.

"I think it's beginning to colour, eh?" asked Saurin.

"Beautifully, I should say," replied Edwards.

"Won't you try?"

"Thanks; I think I should rather like," said Edwards, who began to feel
ambitious, "but I have not got anything to smoke."

"Oh, Slam will let you have a pipe, or a cigar if you like it better."

Edwards, calling to mind that cigars smelt nicer than pipes, thought he
should prefer one.

"Slam, my friend wants a cigar."

"Well, sir, as you know, I can't sell such things without a licence; but
if the gent likes to have a few rats for one of the dawgs to show a bit
of sport, I'll _give_ him a cigar with pleasure. It's sixpence for half
a dozen."

"And, by the by, Edwards, it is usual to stand some beer to pay your
footing. A couple of quarts of sixpenny will do."

"That will make eighteenpence altogether," responded Edwards cheerfully,
producing that sum.

"I'll send out for the beer at once," said Mr Slam, taking the money
and going towards the house.

Where he sent to is a mystery, for there was no public-house within a
mile, and yet the can of beer arrived in about five minutes. It is much
to be feared that Slam set the excise law at defiance when he felt
perfectly safe from being informed against.

"Rats for Topper!" exclaimed Stubbs.