Mr Benjamin Allen smiled his readiness, and produced from the closet

at his elbow a black bottle half full of brandy.

'You don't take water, of course?' said Bob Sawyer.

Thank you,' replied Mr Winkle. 'It's rather early. I should like to

qualify it, if you have no objection.'

'None in the least, if you can reconcile it to your conscience,' replied

Bob Sawyer, tossing off, as he spoke, a glass of the liquor with great

relish. 'Ben, the pipkin!'

Mr Benjamin Allen drew forth, from the same hiding-place, a small

brass pipkin, which Bob Sawyer observed he prided himself upon,

particularly because it looked so business-like. The water in the

professional pipkin having been made to boil, in course of time, by

various little shovelfuls of coal, which Mr Bob Sawyer took out of a

practicable window-seat, labelled 'Soda Water,' Mr Winkle adulterated

his brandy; and the conversation was becoming general, when it was

interrupted by the entrance into the shop of a boy, in a sober gray

livery and a gold-laced hat, with a small covered basket under his

arm, whom Mr Bob Sawyer immediately hailed with, 'Tom, you

vagabond, come here.'

The boy presented himself accordingly.

You've been stopping to ‘over’ all the posts in Bristol, you idle young

scamp!' said Mr Bob Sawyer.

'No, sir, I haven't,' replied the boy.

You had better not!' said Mr Bob Sawyer, with a threatening aspect.

Who do you suppose will ever employ a professional man, when they

see his boy playing at marbles in the gutter, or flying the garter in the

horse-road? Have you no feeling for your profession, you groveller?

Did you leave all the medicine?' 'Yes, Sir.'

The powders for the child, at the large house with the new family, and

the pills to be taken four times a day at the ill- tempered old

gentleman's with the gouty leg?'

Yes, sir.'

Then shut the door, and mind the shop.'

Come,' said Mr Winkle, as the boy retired, 'things are not quite so bad

as you would have me believe, either. There is SOME medicine to be

sent out.'

The Pickwick Papers