To this Mr Codlin, who had a surly, grumbling manner, replied, as he

twitched Punch off the tombstone and flung him into the box, 'I don't

care if we haven't lost a farden, but you're too free. If you stood in

front of the curtain and see the public's faces as I do, you'd know

human natur' better.'

Ah! it's been the spoiling of you, Tommy, your taking to that branch,'

rejoined his companion. 'When you played the ghost in the reg'lar

drama in the fairs, you believed in everything - except ghosts. But now

you're a universal mistruster. I never see a man so changed.'

'Never mind,' said Mr Codlin, with the air of a discontented

philosopher. 'I know better now, and p'raps I'm sorry for it.'

Turning over the figures in the box like one who knew and despised

them, Mr Codlin drew one forth and held it up for the inspection of his

friend:

Look here; here's all this judy's clothes falling to pieces again. You

haven't got a needle and thread I suppose?'

The little man shook his head, and scratched it ruefully as he

contemplated this severe indisposition of a principal performer. Seeing

that they were at a loss, the child said timidly:

I have a needle, Sir, in my basket, and thread too. Will you let me try

to mend it for you? I think I could do it neater than you could.'

Even Mr Codlin had nothing to urge against a proposal so seasonable.

Nelly, kneeling down beside the box, was soon busily engaged in her

task, and accomplishing it to a miracle.

While she was thus engaged, the merry little man looked at her with

an interest which did not appear to be diminished when he glanced at

her helpless companion. When she had finished her work he thanked

her, and inquired whither they were travelling.

N - no further to-night, I think,' said the child, looking towards her

grandfather.

'If you're wanting a place to stop at,' the man remarked, 'I should

advise you to take up at the same house with us. That's it. The long,

low, white house there. It's very cheap.'

The old man, notwithstanding his fatigue, would have remained in the

churchyard all night if his new acquaintances had remained there too.

As he yielded to this suggestion a ready and rapturous assent, they all

rose and walked away together; he keeping close to the box of puppets

The Old Curiosity Shop