s at any rate!" he replied; and
with a short nervous jerk, he caused a startling clatter within, which
was so distinctly audible without, that both of them instinctively
_hemmed_, as if to drown the noise which was so much greater than they
had expected. In a very few moments they heard some one undoing the
fastenings of the door, and the gentlemen looked at one another with an
expression of mingled expectation and apprehension. A little old woman
at length, with a candle in her hand, retaining the heavy door-chain in
its fastening, peered round the edge of the door at them.

"Who are you?" she exclaimed crustily.

"Is this Messrs.--What is it, Huck?--Oh! Messrs. Quirk & Co.'s?"
inquired Titmouse, tapping the end of his cane against his chin, with a
desperate effort to appear at his ease.

"Why, where's your eyes?" she replied angrily, "I should think you might
have seen what was wrote on this here plate--it's large enough, one
should have thought, to be read by them as _can_ read--Is your's Newgate
business? Because if----"

"We want--Give us the paper, Hucky"--he added, addressing his companion,
who produced it in a moment; and Titmouse would have proceeded to
possess the old lady of all his little heart, when she cut him short by
saying snappishly--"They aren't none on 'em in; nor never is on
Sundays--so you'll just call to-morrow if you wants 'em. What's your
names?"

"Mr. Tittlebat Titmouse," answered that gentleman, with a very
particular emphasis on every syllable.

"Mr. _who_?" exclaimed the old woman, opening her eyes very wide, and
raising her hand to the back of her ear. Mr. Titmouse repeated his name
more loudly and distinctly.

"Tippetytippety--what's that?"

"No, no!" exclaimed Titmouse, peevishly; "I said, Mr. Tit-el-bat
Tit-mouse!--will that suit you?"

"Tick-a-tick-a-tick?--Well, gracious! if ever I heard such a name.
Oh!--I see!--you're making a fool of me! Get off, or I'll call a
constable in!--Get along with you, you couple of jail-birds! Is this the
way"----

"I tell you," interposed Mr. Huckaback, angrily, "that this gentleman's
name is Mr. Tittlebat Titmouse; and you'd better take care what you're
at, old woman, for we've come on business of _wital consequence_!"

"I dare say it'll keep, then, till to-morrow," tartly added the old
woman.

The friends consulted for a moment, and then Titmouse asked if he might
come in and write a letter to Messrs. Quirk and Co.

"No indeed!" said