said the thief confidentially, "I remember _you_, an' I
wants a little conversation with you."

"No, you don't" returned the boy, retreating; "you wants my wipe, or
puss, or ticker, you do--or suthin' o' that sort--but you've come to the
wrong shop, you have."

"But really, Tommy, I've got summat to say to 'ee about your noo friend
from Scotland, David Laidlaw."

"How d'ee know he's _my_ friend?" asked Tommy, becoming suddenly
interested.

"'Cause I've seen you jawin' with 'im; an' I've seen you go up together
to visit chimney-pot Liz an' Susy; an'--"

"Oh! you knows chimley-pot Liz an' Susy, do ye? But of course you does.
Everybody as knows anythink knows _them_."

"Ay, lad, an' I knows lawyer Lockhart too," said Trumps, with a peculiar
look; "him that owns the 'ouses 'ereabouts, an' draws the rents--"

"_Draws_ the rents!" interrupted the boy, with a look of scorn;
"_screws_ the rents, you mean."

"Jus' so, boy--screws 'em. Ah, 'e _is_ a thief, is lawyer Lockhart."

"Come, if that's so, you've no occasion to be 'ard on 'im, Trumps, for
you're in the same boat, you know."

"No, I ain't," replied Trumps, with virtuous indignation, "for 'e's a
_mean_ thief!"

"Oh, an' you're a 'ighminded one, I s'pose," returned the boy, with a
hearty chuckle; "but come along, young man. If you've suthin' to tell
me about Da-a-a-vid Laidlaw I'm your man. This way."

He led the man down the alley, across the court, round the corner, and
up the stair to the landing.

"There you are," he said, "this is my snuggery--my boodwar, so to speak.
Sot down, an' out with it."

Seated there, the thief, in low confidential and solemn tones, related
what he had seen and heard in the public-house, and told of his own
acquaintance with and interest in Laidlaw.

"The willains!" exclaimed Tommy. "An' wot d'ee think they're agoin' to
do?"

"Screw 'im some'ow, an' git 'im out o' the way."

"But w'y?"

"That's wot I wants to ask _you_, lad. I knows nothing more than I've
told 'ee."

"We must save Da-a-a-vid!" exclaimed Tommy in a tragic manner, clutching
his hair and glaring.

Tommy's sense of the ludicrous was too strong for him, even in the most
anxious times, and the notion of him and Trumps saving anybody
overwhelmed him for a moment; nevertheless, he really was excited by
what he had heard.

"Come--come with me," he cried, suddenly seizing Trumps by the sleeve of
his shabby coat and half dragging him up to the garret, w