son
in the world worthy of his esteem, and even reverence, that person was
OILY GAMMON, ESQ.

As he bent his steps towards Saffron Hill, he reflected rather anxiously
on several matters which had occurred to him during the interview which
I have just described. On reaching the office, he was presently closeted
with Mr. Quirk, to whom, first and foremost, he exhibited and delivered
the documents to which he had obtained Titmouse's signature, and which,
the reader will allow me to assure him, were of a somewhat different
texture from a certain legal instrument or security which I laid before
him some little time ago.

"Now, Gammon," said the old gentleman, as soon as he had locked up in
his safe the above-mentioned documents--"Now, Gammon, I think we may be
up and at 'em; load our guns, and blaze away," and he rubbed his hands.

"Perhaps so, Mr. Quirk," replied Gammon; "but we must, for no earthly
consideration, be premature in our operations! Let me, by the way, tell
you one or two little matters that have just happened to
Titmouse!"--Then he told Mr. Quirk of the effects which had followed the
use of the potent Cyanochaitanthropopoion, at which old Quirk almost
laughed himself into fits. When, however, Gammon, with a serious air,
mentioned the name of Miss Tag-rag, and his grave suspicions concerning
her, Quirk bounced up out of his chair, almost startling Gammon out of
_his_. If Mr. Quirk had just been told that his banker had broken, he
could scarce have shown more emotion.

The fact was, that he, too, had a DAUGHTER--an only child--Miss
Quirk--whom he had destined to become Mrs. Titmouse.

"A designing old villain!" he exclaimed at length, and Gammon agreed
with him; but strange to say, with all his acuteness, never adverted to
the real cause of Quirk's sudden and vehement exclamation. When Gammon
told him of the manner in which he had opened Titmouse's eyes to the
knavery of Tag-rag, and the expedient he had suggested for its complete
demonstration to Titmouse, Quirk could have worshipped Gammon, and could
not help rising and shaking him very energetically by the hand, much to
his astonishment. After a long consultation, they determined to look
out fresh lodgings for Titmouse, and remove him presently altogether
from the company and influence of Tag-rag. Some time after they had
parted, Mr. Quirk came with an eager air into Mr. Gammon's room, with a
most important suggestion; viz. whether it would not be possib