now," said another
member.

"That's because they damped the straw afore they lit it in the chimbley
to make 'em come down again," said Gamfield. "That's all smoke, and no
blaze; vereas smoke only sinds him to sleep, and that ain't no use in
making a boy come down. Boys is wery obstinite and wery lazy, gen'l'men,
and there's nothink like a good hot blaze to make 'em come down with a
run. It's humane, too, gen'l'men, acause, even if they've stuck in the
chimbley, roasting their feet makes 'em struggle to hextricate
theirselves."

The board consented to hand over Oliver to the chimney-sweep (the
premium being reduced to L3 10s.), but the magistrates declined to
sanction the indentures, and it was Mr. Sowerberry, the undertaker, who
finally relieved the board of their responsibility.

Mrs. Sowerberry's ill-treatment drove Oliver to flight. He left the
house in the early morning before anyone was stirring, struck across
fields, and gained the high road outside the town. A milestone intimated
that it was seventy miles to London. In London he would be beyond the
reach of Mr. Bumble; to London he would trudge.

_II.--The Artful Dodger_

It was on the seventh morning after he had left his native place that
Oliver limped slowly into the town of Barnet. Tired and hungry he sat
down on a doorstep, and presently was roused by the question "Hallo, my
covey, what's the row?"

The boy who addressed this inquiry to the young wayfarer was about his
own age, but one of the queerest-looking boys that Oliver had ever seen.
He was short for his age, and dirty, and he had about him all the airs
and manners of a man. He wore a man's coat which reached nearly to his
heels, and he had turned the cuffs back half-way up his arm to get his
hands out of the sleeves. Altogether he was as roystering and swaggering
a young gentleman as ever stood four feet six in his bluchers.

"You want grub," said this strange boy, helping Oliver to rise; "and you
shall have it. I'm at low-watermark myself, only one bob and a magpie;
but as far as it goes, I'll fork out and stump."

"Going to London?" said the strange boy, while they sat and finished a
meal in a small public-house.

"Yes."

"Got any lodgings?"

"No."

"Money?"

"No."

The strange boy whistled.

"I suppose you want some place to sleep in to-night, don't you? Well,
I've got to be in London to-night, and I know a 'spectable old genelman
as lives there, wot'll give you lodgings