I've spiled his beadle, and that, if he'll swear in a new 'un, I'll come

back again to-morrow and spile him. Drive on, old feller.'

I'll give directions for the commencement of an action for false

imprisonment against this Captain Boldwig, directly I get to London,'

said Mr Pickwick, as soon as the carriage turned out of the town.

We were trespassing, it seems,' said Wardle.

I don't care,' said Mr Pickwick, 'I'll bring the action.'

No, you won't,' said Wardle.

I will, by - ' But as there was a humorous expression in Wardle's face,

Mr Pickwick checked himself, and said, 'Why not?'

Because,' said old Wardle, half-bursting with laughter, 'because they

might turn on some of us, and say we had taken too much cold

punch.'

Do what he would, a smile would come into Mr Pickwick's face; the

smile extended into a laugh; the laugh into a roar; the roar became

general. So, to keep up their good-humour, they stopped at the first

roadside tavern they came to, and ordered a glass of brandy-and-

water all round, with a magnum of extra strength for Mr Samuel

Weller.

The Pickwick Papers