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'You are the two men I want,' he said, 'the two men I have been
looking for, and searching after! Where are that old man and that
child you speak of?'
'Sir?' said Short, hesitating, and looking towards his friend.
'The old man and his grandchild who travelled with you - where are
they? It will be worth your while to speak out, I assure you; much
better worth your while than you believe. They left you, you say - at
those races, as I understand. They have been traced to that place, and
there lost sight of. Have you no clue, can you suggest no clue, to their
recovery?'
'
Did I always say, Thomas,' cried Short, turning with a look of
amazement to his friend, 'that there was sure to be an inquiry after
them two travellers?'
'
YOU said!' returned Mr Codlin. 'Did I always say that that 'ere blessed
child was the most interesting I ever see? Did I always say I loved her,
and doated on her? Pretty creetur, I think I hear her now. ‘Codlin's my
friend,’ she says, with a tear of gratitude a trickling down her little
eye; ‘Codlin's my friend,’ she says - ‘not Short. Short's very well,’ she
says; ‘I've no quarrel with Short; he means kind, I dare say; but
Codlin,’ she says, ‘has the feelings for my money, though he mayn't
look it.’'
Repeating these words with great emotion, Mr Codlin rubbed the
bridge of his nose with his coat-sleeve, and shaking his head
mournfully from side to side, left the single gentleman to infer that,
from the moment when he lost sight of his dear young charge, his
peace of mind and happiness had fled.
'Good Heaven!' said the single gentleman, pacing up and down the
room, 'have I found these men at last, only to discover that they can
give me no information or assistance! It would have been better to
have lived on, in hope, from day to day, and never to have lighted on
them, than to have my expectations scattered thus.'
'Stay a minute,' said Short. 'A man of the name of Jerry - you know
Jerry, Thomas?'
'
Oh, don't talk to me of Jerrys,' replied Mr Codlin. 'How can I care a
pinch of snuff for Jerrys, when I think of that 'ere darling child?
Codlin's my friend,’ she says, ‘dear, good, kind Codlin, as is always a
‘
devising pleasures for me! I don't object to Short,’ she says, ‘but I
cotton to Codlin.’ Once,' said that gentleman reflectively, 'she called
me Father Codlin. I thought I should have bust!'
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