ained and stimulated by this delightful prospect,
the child shrank from him in great agitation, and trembled violently.
Mr Quilp, either because frightening anybody afforded him a
constitutional delight, or because it was pleasant to contemplate the
death of Mrs Quilp number one, and the elevation of Mrs Quilp number
two to her post and title, or because he was determined from purposes
of his own to be agreeable and good-humoured at that particular time,
only laughed and feigned to take no heed of her alarm.

'You shall home with me to Tower Hill and see Mrs Quilp that is,
directly,' said the dwarf. 'She's very fond of you, Nell, though not so
fond as I am. You shall come home with me.'

'I must go back indeed,' said the child. 'He told me to return directly
I had the answer.'

'But you haven't it, Nelly,' retorted the dwarf, 'and won't have it,
and can't have it, until I have been home, so you see that to do your
errand, you must go with me. Reach me yonder hat, my dear, and we'll go
directly.' With that, Mr Quilp suffered himself to roll gradually off
the desk until his short legs touched the ground, when he got upon them
and led the way from the counting-house to the wharf outside, when the
first objects that presented themselves were the boy who had stood on
his head and another young gentleman of about his own stature, rolling
in the mud together, locked in a tight embrace, and cuffing each other
with mutual heartiness.

'It's Kit!' cried Nelly, clasping her hand, 'poor Kit who came with me!
Oh, pray stop them, Mr Quilp!'

'I'll stop 'em,' cried Quilp, diving into the little counting-house and
returning with a thick stick, 'I'll stop 'em. Now, my boys, fight away.
I'll fight you both. I'll take bot of you, both together, both
together!'

With which defiances the dwarf flourished his cudgel, and dancing round
the combatants and treading upon them and skipping over them, in a kind
of frenzy, laid about him, now on one and now on the other, in a most
desperate manner, always aiming at their heads and dealing such blows
as none but the veriest little savage would have inflicted. This being
warmer work than they had calculated upon, speedily cooled the courage
of the belligerents, who scrambled to their feet and called for quarter.

'I'll beat you to a pulp, you dogs,' said Quilp, vainly endeavoring to
get near either of them for a parting blow. 'I'll bruise you until
you're copper-coloured, I'll break your face