he could
of its customs and inmates. Those who, like himself, had money were
well-treated. Those who had none lived in starvation and wretchedness.
In one wall was a kind of iron cage, within which was posted a lean and
hungry prisoner who rattled a money-box and called out: "Remember the
poor debtors!" The money he collected from passers-by in the street was
divided and bought food for the poorest.

As Mr. Pickwick entered the room given over to the latter class, he
started. In one of its occupants, clad in tattered garments and yellow
shirt, pinched with starvation and pale with illness, he saw Alfred
Jingle; and near him, faithful still in rags and dirt, was Job Trotter.

Jingle was no longer jaunty and impudent. He had pawned all his
belongings; had lived, in fact, for the last week on a silk umbrella
with an ivory handle. His smile now was a mere twitch of the face as he
said: "Nothing soon--starve--die--workhouse funeral--serve him
right--all over--drop the curtain!" Unable, however, to keep up this
make-believe recklessness, Jingle sat down at length and sobbed like a
child.

Mr. Pickwick was greatly moved at the sight, and gave Job some money for
his master as he turned away.

Sam Weller had come with Mr. Pickwick to the prison. The latter,
however, told his servant he must now leave him, though his wages would
go on as usual. Sam pretended to agree, but lost no time in going to his
father with a plan by which he, too, should be sent to the Fleet Prison
for debt, so as to be near his master. He borrowed some money from the
old stage-driver, and then when he refused to pay it, his father had him
arrested and sent to the prison as he wished. Old Tony Weller and all
his friends went with him, and gave him three tremendous cheers at the
door. When Mr. Pickwick saw Sam return and learned what he had done, he
was much affected at the devotion of this faithful servant and felt
himself more fond of him than ever.

It was a long time before Winkle, Tupman and Snodgrass learned of their
leader's imprisonment and came to see him. Sam also had visitors in the
person of his mother-in-law (who, of course, did not know he had brought
about his own arrest) and the hypocritical, red-nosed preacher who came
with her to lecture him on his evil ways.

Old Tony Weller came, too, with a plan that he had thought of for Mr.
Pickwick's escape in a piano.

"It'll hold him easy," he whispered, "with his hat and shoes on, and
bre