t all happiness has an end, and as it was now growing late, they
agreed that it was time to turn their faces homeward--and the great day
was at an end.

One morning just before this, when Kit was out exercising the pony, he was
called into the office where he had first seen Mr. and Mrs. Garland, to be
examined by a strange gentleman concerning what he knew of little Nell and
her grandfather. The gentleman told Kit that he was trying by every means
in his power to discover their hiding-place; and, finally, after Kit had
repeated all that he could remember of the life and words of his beloved
Miss Nelly and the old man, the stranger slipped a half-crown into his
hand and dismissed him. The strange gentleman liked Kit so much that he
desired to have him in his own service, but the boy stoutly refused to
leave his kind employer. At Mr. Garland's suggestion, however, he offered
his services to the stranger for an hour or two every day, and from that
came trouble to Kit.

Each day, going up and down, to and from the stranger's room, he had to
pass through the office of one Sampson Brass, attorney; who, through the
agency of Quilp, who was Sampson Brass's best client, was prejudiced
against Kit, and pledged to the little dwarf to do him all the injury that
he could, for venomous little Quilp had never forgiven the boy who had
been connected with his ruined client, and had called him "the ugliest
dwarf to be seen for a penny"; and he desired vengeance at any cost.

Every time that Kit passed through the office, Mr. Brass spoke kindly to
him, and not seldom gave him half-crowns, which made Kit, who from the
first had disliked the man, think that he had misjudged him. Then one day
when Kit had been minding the office a few moments for Mr. Brass, and was
running towards home, in haste to do his work there, Mr. Brass and his
clerk, Dick Swiveller, rushed out after him.

"Stop!" cried Sampson, laying his hand on one shoulder, while Mr.
Swiveller pounced upon the other. "Not so fast, sir. You're in a hurry?"

"Yes, I am," said Kit, looking from one to the other in great surprise.

"I--I--can hardly believe it," panted Sampson, "but something of value is
missing from the office. I hope you don't know what."

"Know what! good heaven, Mr. Brass!" cried Kit, trembling from head to
foot; "you don't suppose----"

"No, no," rejoined Brass, quickly, "I don't suppose anything. You will
come back quietly, I hope?"

"Of course I will,"