him up and put him into his pocket again, to the great relief of the

whole company.

The landlord now busied himself in laying the cloth, in which process

Mr Codlin obligingly assisted by setting forth his own knife and fork in

the most convenient place and establishing himself behind them.

When everything was ready, the landlord took off the cover for the last

time, and then indeed there burst forth such a goodly promise of

supper, that if he had offered to put it on again or had hinted at

postponement, he would certainly have been sacrificed on his own

hearth.

However, he did nothing of the kind, but instead thereof assisted a

stout servant girl in turning the contents of the cauldron into a large

tureen; a proceeding which the dogs, proof against various hot

splashes which fell upon their noses, watched with terrible eagerness.

At length the dish was lifted on the table, and mugs of ale having been

previously set round, little Nell ventured to say grace, and supper

began.

At this juncture the poor dogs were standing on their hind legs quite

surprisingly; the child, having pity on them, was about to cast some

morsels of food to them before she tasted it herself, hungry though

she was, when their master interposed.

'No, my dear, no, not an atom from anybody's hand but mine if you

please. That dog,' said Jerry, pointing out the old leader of the troop,

and speaking in a terrible voice, 'lost a halfpenny to-day. He goes

without his supper.'

The unfortunate creature dropped upon his fore-legs directly, wagged

his tail, and looked imploringly at his master.

You must be more careful, Sir,' said Jerry, walking coolly to the chair

where he had placed the organ, and setting the stop. 'Come here. Now,

Sir, you play away at that, while we have supper, and leave off if you

dare.'

The dog immediately began to grind most mournful music. His master

having shown him the whip resumed his seat and called up the

others, who, at his directions, formed in a row, standing upright as a

file of soldiers.

'Now, gentlemen,' said Jerry, looking at them attentively. 'The dog

whose name's called, eats. The dogs whose names an't called, keep

quiet. Carlo!'

The Old Curiosity Shop