er such a low-minded affair, that if I didn't feel for the
governor, and know that he could never get on without me, I should be
obliged to cut the connection. I should have no alternative.'

Mr Swiveller, who sat on another stool opposite to his friend, stirred
the fire in an excess of sympathy, but said nothing.

'As to young Snob, sir,' pursued Mr Chuckster with a prophetic look,
'you'll find he'll turn out bad. In our profession we know something
of human nature, and take my word for it, that the feller that came
back to work out that shilling, will show himself one of these days in
his true colours. He's a low thief, sir. He must be.'

Mr Chuckster being roused, would probably have pursued this subject
further, and in more emphatic language, but for a tap at the door,
which seeming to announce the arrival of somebody on business, caused
him to assume a greater appearance of meekness than was perhaps quite
consistent with his late declaration. Mr Swiveller, hearing the same
sound, caused his stool to revolve rapidly on one leg until it brought
him to his desk, into which, having forgotten in the sudden flurry of
his spirits to part with the poker, he thrust it as he cried 'Come in!'

Who should present himself but that very Kit who had been the theme of
Mr Chuckster's wrath! Never did man pluck up his courage so quickly,
or look so fierce, as Mr Chuckster when he found it was he. Mr
Swiveller stared at him for a moment, and then leaping from his stool,
and drawing out the poker from its place of concealment, performed the
broad-sword exercise with all the cuts and guards complete, in a
species of frenzy.

'Is the gentleman at home?' said Kit, rather astonished by this
uncommon reception.

Before Mr Swiveller could make any reply, Mr Chuckster took occasion to
enter his indignant protest against this form of inquiry; which he held
to be of a disrespectful and snobbish tendency, inasmuch as the
inquirer, seeing two gentlemen then and there present, should have
spoken of the other gentleman; or rather (for it was not impossible
that the object of his search might be of inferior quality) should have
mentioned his name, leaving it to his hearers to determine his degree
as they thought proper. Mr Chuckster likewise remarked, that he had
some reason to believe this form of address was personal to himself,
and that he was not a man to be trifled with--as certain snobs (whom he
did not more particularly mention