'Never mind George Barnwell,' interrupted Sam, who had remained a

wondering listener during this short colloquy; 'everybody knows what

sort of a case his was, tho' it's always been my opinion, mind you, that

the young 'ooman deserved scragging a precious sight more than he

did. Hows'ever, that's neither here nor there. You want me to accept of

half a guinea. Wery well, I'm agreeable: I can't say no fairer than that,

can I, sir?' (Mr Pickwick smiled.) Then the next question is, what the

devil do you want with me, as the man said, wen he see the ghost?'

'We want to know - ' said Mr Wardle.

Now, my dear sir - my dear sir,' interposed the busy little man.

Mr Wardle shrugged his shoulders, and was silent.

We want to know,' said the little man solemnly; 'and we ask the

question of you, in order that we may not awaken apprehensions

inside - we want to know who you've got in this house at present?'

Who there is in the house!' said Sam, in whose mind the inmates

were always represented by that particular article of their costume,

which came under his immediate superintendence. 'There's a vooden

leg in number six; there's a pair of Hessians in thirteen; there's two

pair of halves in the commercial; there's these here painted tops in the

snuggery inside the bar; and five more tops in the coffee-room.'

Nothing more?' said the little man.

Stop a bit,' replied Sam, suddenly recollecting himself. 'Yes; there's a

pair of Vellingtons a good deal worn, and a pair o' lady's shoes, in

number five.'

What sort of shoes?' hastily inquired Wardle, who, together with Mr

Pickwick, had been lost in bewilderment at the singular catalogue of

visitors.

Country make,' replied Sam.

Any maker's name?'

Brown.'

Where of?'

Muggleton.

It is them,' exclaimed Wardle. 'By heavens, we've found them.'

The Pickwick Papers