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glancing； nevertheless； with a hawk’s eye at the girl and the two
bundles。 “I’m in that way myself； and I like you for it。”
“In what way？” asked Mr。 Claypole； a little recovering。
“In that way of business；” rejoined Fagin； “and so are the
people of the house。 You’ve hit the right nail upon the head； and
are as safe here as you could be。 There is not a safer place in all
this town than is the Cripples； that is； when I like to make it so。
And I have taken a fancy to you and the young woman； so I’ve said
the word； and you may make your minds easy。”
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Noah Claypole’s mind might have been at ease after this
assurance； but his body certainly was not； for he snuffled and
writhed about； into various uncouth positions； eyeing his new
friend meanwhile with mingled fear and suspicion。
“I’ll tell you more；” said Fagin； after he had reassured the girl；
by dint of friendly nods and muttered encouragements。 “I have got
a friend that I think can gratify your darling wish； and put you in
the right way； where you can take whatever department of the
business you think will suit you best at first； and be taught all the
others。”
“Yer speak as if yer were in earnest；” replied Noah。
“What advantage would it be to me to be anything else？”
inquired Fagin； shrugging his shoulders。 “Here！ Let me have a
word with you outside。”
“There’s no occasion to trouble ourselves to move；” said Noah；
getting his legs by gradual degrees abroad—again。 “She’ll take the
luggage upstairs the while。 Charlotte； see to them bundles！”
This mandate； which had been delivered with great majesty；
was obeyed without the slightest demur； and Charlotte made the
best of her way off with the packages while Noah held the door
open and watched her out。
“She’s kept tolerably well under； ain’t she？” he asked； as he
resumed his seat； in the tone of a keeper who has tamed some wild
animal。
“Quite perfect；” rejoined Fagin； clapping him on the shoulder。
“You’re a genius； my dear。”
“Why； I suppose if I wasn’t； I shouldn’t be here；” replied Noah。
“But； I say； she’ll be back if yer lose time。”
“Now； what do you think？” said Fagin。 “If you was to like my
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friend； could you do better than join him？”
“Is he in a good way of business； that’s where it is！” responded
Noah； winking one of his little eyes。
“The top of the tree；” said Fagin； “employs a power of hands；
has the very best society in the profession。”
“Regular town…maders？” asked Mr。 Claypole。
“Not a countryman among ’em； and I don’t think he’d take you；
even on my recommendation； if he didn’t run rather short of
assistants just now；” replied Fagin。
“Should I have to hand over？” said Noah； slapping his breeches
pocket。
“It couldn’t possibly be done without；” replied Fagin； in a most
decided manner。
“Twenty pound； though—it’s a lot of money！”
“Not when it’s in a note you can’t get rid of；” retorted Fagin。
“Number and date taken； I suppose！ Payment stopped at the
bank？ Ah！ It’s not worth much to him。 It’ll have to go abroad； and
he couldn’t sell it for a great deal in the market。”
“When could I see him？” asked Noah doubtfully。
“Tomorrow morning。”
“Where？”
“Here。”
“Um！” said Noah。 “What’s the wages？”
“Live like a gentleman—board and lodging； pipes and spirits
free—half of all you earn； and half of all the young woman earns；”
replied Mr。 Fagin。
Whether Noah Claypole； whose rapacity was none of the least
comprehensive； would have acceded even to these glowing terms；
had he been a perfectly free agent； is very doubtful； but as he
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recollected that； in the event of his refusal it was in the power of
his new acquaintance to give him up to justice immediately （and
more unlikely things had come to pass）； he gradually relented； and
said he thought that would suit him。
“But； yer see；” observed Noah； “as she will be able to do a good
deal； I should like to take something very light。”
“A little fancy work？” suggested Fagin。
“Ah！ something of that sort；” replied Noah。 “What do you think
would suit me now？ Something not too trying for the strength； and
not very dangerous； you know。 That’s the sort of thing！”
“I heard you talk of something in the spy way upon the others；
my dear；” said Fagin。 “My friend wants somebody who would do
that well； very much。”
“Why； I did mention that； and I shouldn’t mind turning my
hand to it sometimes；” rejoined Mr。 Claypole slowly； “but it
wouldn’t pay by itself； you know。”
“That’s true！” observed the Jew； ruminating or pretending to
ruminate。 “No； it might not。”
“What do you think； then？” asked Noah； anxiously regarding
him。 “Something in the sneaking way； where it was pretty sure
work； and not much more risk than being at home。”
“What do you think of the old ladies？” asked Fagin。 “There’s a
good deal of money made in snatching their bags and parcels； and
running round the corner。”
“Don’t they holler out a good deal； and scratch sometimes？”
asked Noah； shaking his head。 “I don’t think that would answer
my purpose。 Ain’t there any other line open？”
“Stop！” said Fagin； laying his hand on Noah’s knee。 “The
kinchin lay。”
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“What’s that？” demanded Mr。 Claypole。
“The kinchins； my dear；” said Fagin； “is the young children
that’s sent on errands by their mothers； with sixpences and
shillings； and the lay is just to take their money away—they’ve
always got it ready in their hands—then knock ’em into a kennel；
and walk off very slow； as if there were nothing else the matter but
a child fallen down and hurt itself。 Ha！ ha！ ha！”
“Ha！ ha！” roared Mr。 Claypole； kicking up his legs in an ecstasy。
“Lord； that’s the very thing！”
“To be sure it is；” replied Fagin； “and you can have a few good
beats chalked out in Camden Town； and Battle Bridge； and
neighbourhoods like that； where they’re always going errands； and
you can upset as many kinchins as you want； any hour in the day。
Ha！ ha！ ha！”
With this； Fagin poked Mr。 Claypole in the side； and they joined
in a burst of laughter both long and loud。
“Well； that’s all right！” said Noah； when he had recovered
himself； and Charlotte had returned。 “What time tomorrow shall
we say？”
“Will ten do？” asked Fagin； adding； as Mr。 Claypole nodded
assent； “What name shall I tell my good friend？”
“Mr。 Bolter；” replied Noah； who had prepared himself for such
an emergency。 “Mr。 Morris Bolter。 This is Mrs。 Bolter。”
“Mrs。 Bolter’s humble servant；” said Fagin； bowing with
grotesque politeness。 “I hope I shall know her better very shortly。”
“Do you hear the gentleman； Charlotte？” thundered Mr。
Claypole。
“Yes； Noah； dear！” replied Mrs。 Bolter； extending her hand。
“She calls me Noah； as a sort of fond way of talking；” said Mr。
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Morris Bolter； late Claypole； turning to Fagin。 “You understand？”
“Oh； yes； I understand—perfectly；” replied Fagin； telling the
truth for once。 “Good…night！ Good…night！”
With many adieus and good wishes； Mr。 Fagin went his way。
Noah Claypole； bespeaking his good lady’s attention； proceeded to
enlighten her relative to the arrangement he had made； with all
that haughtiness and air of superiority； becoming； not only a
member of the sterner sex； but a gentleman who appreciated the
dignity of a special appointment on the kinchin lay； in London and
its vicinity。
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Chapter 43
Wherein Is Shown How The Artful Dodger Got Into
Trouble。
“A nd so it was you that was your own friend； was
it？” asked Mr。 Claypole； otherwise Bolter； when；
by virtue of the compact entered into between
them； he had removed next day to Fagin’s house。 “’Cod； I thought
as much last night！”
“Every man’s his own friend； my dear；” replied Fagin； with his
most insinuating grin。 “He hasn’t as good a one as himself
anywhere。”
“Except sometimes；” replied Morris Bolter； assuming the air of
a man of the world。 “Some people are nobody’s enemies but their
own； yer know。”
“Don’t believe that；” said Fagin。 “When a man’s his own enemy；
it’s only because he’s too much his own friend； not because he’s
careful for everybody but himself。 Pooh！ pooh！ There ain’t such a
thing in nature。”
“There oughtn’t to be； if there is；” replied Mr。 Bolter。
“That stands to reason；” said Fagin。 “Some conjurers say that
number three is the magic number； and some say number seven。
It’s neither； my friend； neither。 It’s number one。”
“Ha！ ha！” cried Mr。 Bolter。 “Number one for ever。”
“In a little community like ours； my dear；” said Fagin； who felt
i