sir, I know I am. These
are not business manners, sir, nor business looks, but she carries me
out of myself.'

'Why don't you leave him alone?' said Dick.

'Because she can't, sir,' retorted Brass; 'because to chafe and vex me
is a part of her nature, Sir, and she will and must do it, or I don't
believe she'd have her health. But never mind,' said Brass, 'never
mind. I've carried my point. I've shown my confidence in the lad. He
has minded the office again. Ha ha! Ugh, you viper!'

The beautiful virgin took another pinch, and put the snuff-box in her
pocket; still looking at her brother with perfect composure.

'He has minded the office again,' said Brass triumphantly; 'he has had
my confidence, and he shall continue to have it; he--why, where's the--'

'What have you lost?' inquired Mr Swiveller.

'Dear me!' said Brass, slapping all his pockets, one after another, and
looking into his desk, and under it, and upon it, and wildly tossing
the papers about, 'the note, Mr Richard, sir, the five-pound note--what
can have become of it? I laid it down here--God bless me!'

'What!' cried Miss Sally, starting up, clapping her hands, and
scattering the papers on the floor. 'Gone! Now who's right? Now
who's got it? Never mind five pounds--what's five pounds? He's
honest, you know, quite honest. It would be mean to suspect him.
Don't run after him. No, no, not for the world!'

'Is it really gone though?' said Dick, looking at Brass with a face as
pale as his own.

'Upon my word, Mr Richard, Sir,' replied the lawyer, feeling in all his
pockets with looks of the greatest agitation, 'I fear this is a black
business. It's certainly gone, Sir. What's to be done?'

'Don't run after him,' said Miss Sally, taking more snuff. 'Don't run
after him on any account. Give him time to get rid of it, you know.
It would be cruel to find him out!'

Mr Swiveller and Sampson Brass looked from Miss Sally to each other, in
a state of bewilderment, and then, as by one impulse, caught up their
hats and rushed out into the street--darting along in the middle of the
road, and dashing aside all obstructions, as though they were running
for their lives.

It happened that Kit had been running too, though not so fast, and
having the start of them by some few minutes, was a good distance
ahead. As they were pretty certain of the road he must have taken,
however, and kept on at a great pace, they came up with him, at the
very m