ed when he could so ill
afford it; while Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap were racking their
brains, and from time to time, those of Messrs. Mortmain and
Frankpledge, to discover some instrument strong and large enough to cut
a fat slice for themselves out of the fortune they were endeavoring, for
that purpose, to put within the reach of Mr. Titmouse. A rule of three
mode of stating the matter would be thus: as the inconvenience of
Huckaback's parting with his ten shillings and his waiver of damages for
a very cruel assault, were to his contingent gain, hereafter, of fifty
pounds; so were Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap's risk, exertions,
outlay, and benefit conferred on Titmouse, to their contingent gain of
ten thousand pounds. The principal point of difference between them
was--as to the mode of _securing_ their future recompense; in which it
may have been observed by the attentive reader, with respect to the
precipitancy of Huckaback and the hesitating caution of Messrs. Quirk,
Gammon, and Snap, that--"_thus fools_" (_e. g._ Huckaback) "_rushed in
where angels_" (_i. e._ Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap) "_feared to
tread_." Let me not, however, for a moment, insinuate that both these
parties were actuated by only one motive, _i. e._ to make a prey of this
little monkey _millionnaire_ that was to be. 'Tis true that Huckaback
appears to have driven rather a hard bargain with his distressed friend,
(and almost every one who, being similarly situated, has occasion for
such services as Titmouse sought from Huckaback, will find himself
called upon to pay, in one way or another, pretty nearly the same price
for them;) but it was attended with one good effect;--for the specific
interest in Titmouse's future prosperity, acquired by Huckaback,
quickened the latter gentleman's energies and sharpened his wits in the
service of his friend. But for this, indeed, it is probable that Mr.
Huckaback's door would have become as hopelessly closed against Titmouse
as was that of Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap. Some two or three nights
after the little transaction between the two friends which I have been
describing, Huckaback called upon Titmouse, and after greeting him
rather cordially, told him that he had come to put him up to a trick
upon the Saffron Hill people, that would tickle them into a little
activity in his affairs. The trick was--the sending a letter to those
gentlemen calculated to--but why attempt to characterize it? I have