Nicholas had no difficulty
in finding a boy who undertook to guide him to his residence.

Dismissing his guide at the gate, and in his impatience not even
stopping to admire the thriving look of cottage or garden either,
Nicholas made his way to the kitchen door, and knocked lustily with his
stick.

'Halloa!' cried a voice inside. 'Wa'et be the matther noo? Be the toon
a-fire? Ding, but thou mak'st noise eneaf!'

With these words, John Browdie opened the door himself, and opening his
eyes too to their utmost width, cried, as he clapped his hands together,
and burst into a hearty roar:

'Ecod, it be the godfeyther, it be the godfeyther! Tilly, here be
Misther Nickleby. Gi' us thee hond, mun. Coom awa', coom awa'. In wi
'un, doon beside the fire; tak' a soop o' thot. Dinnot say a word till
thou'st droonk it a'! Oop wi' it, mun. Ding! but I'm reeght glod to see
thee.'

Adapting his action to his text, John dragged Nicholas into the kitchen,
forced him down upon a huge settle beside a blazing fire, poured out
from an enormous bottle about a quarter of a pint of spirits, thrust it
into his hand, opened his mouth and threw back his head as a sign to
him to drink it instantly, and stood with a broad grin of welcome
overspreading his great red face like a jolly giant.

'I might ha' knowa'd,' said John, 'that nobody but thou would ha'
coom wi' sike a knock as you. Thot was the wa' thou knocked at
schoolmeasther's door, eh? Ha, ha, ha! But I say; wa'at be a' this aboot
schoolmeasther?'

'You know it then?' said Nicholas.

'They were talking aboot it, doon toon, last neeght,' replied John, 'but
neane on 'em seemed quite to un'erstan' it, loike.'

'After various shiftings and delays,' said Nicholas, 'he has been
sentenced to be transported for seven years, for being in the unlawful
possession of a stolen will; and, after that, he has to suffer the
consequence of a conspiracy.'

'Whew!' cried John, 'a conspiracy! Soom'at in the pooder-plot wa'? Eh?
Soom'at in the Guy Faux line?'

'No, no, no, a conspiracy connected with his school; I'll explain it
presently.'

'Thot's reeght!' said John, 'explain it arter breakfast, not noo, for
thou be'est hoongry, and so am I; and Tilly she mun' be at the bottom o'
a' explanations, for she says thot's the mutual confidence. Ha, ha, ha!
Ecod, it's a room start, is the mutual confidence!'

The entrance of Mrs Browdie, with a smart cap on, and very many
apologies for their having b