f the
Cham of Tartary. Two consumptive clerks looked up with awe as they heard
their master pronounce the venerated name of Dodger. It was clear that my
uncle was well-known and appreciated here--his mere patronymic acted as a
species of talisman.

We were conducted into an inner sanctum, where, having nothing else to do,
I betook myself to the study of a map of England, where lines of railway
already laid down in black, and projected ones in red, intersected the
surface as closely as veins and arteries in an anatomical preparation.
Mean time, the two seniors entered into a deep, and apparently interesting
conversation, the purport of which I did not very clearly understand.

"How's Dovers?" asked my uncle.

"Up. Forty to forty-two ex div.," replied the broker.

"Sell sixty. Bumpton Watfords?"

"Rather better this morning."

"Good!" said Scripio, evidently gratified by the amendment of the
interesting convalescent. "What's doing in the Slushpool Docks?"

"Heavy," replied the broker. "There's been a forced sale or two, but they
won't go up."

"I should think not," said Scripio. "Have you bought me these forty
Jamaicas?"

I started at the prodigality of the order. "Heaven and earth!" thought I,
"can this uncle of mine be a kind of occidental Aladdin? After this, I
should not be surprised to hear him bid for Texas and the Oregon
territory!"

"I've got them," said the broker quietly; "they are going up without
steam. Have you got any Biggleswades?"

"Yes," said my uncle, "what about them? No screw loose, eh? Sure to pass
the standing orders, I hope?"

"All right," said the broker, "hold for the bill, and you'll make a good
thing of it."

"Well, then," said my uncle, "that's all, and we're off. I'll write you
from London about other matters. Good-day,"--and we sallied into the
street.

"Fred, you dog!" said Mr Dodger in high glee, "you've put your teeth into
it this time."

"Into what, sir?" asked I, very innocently. "If you mean luncheon, I'm
sure I should have no objections."

"Oh come! none of that humbug. I mean the Biggleswades. There hasn't been
such a catch in Britain since the opening of the Coal-hill Junction."

"I'm devilish glad to hear it," said I, with a vague kind of general
impression that I was going to make money, though I could not well tell
how, and a fixed determination, since I _had_ got my teeth in, to take as
large a bite as possible, though, with regard to the process of
mastic