Mr Pell jerked his head in the direction of a back parlour, whither Mr

Weller at once repairing, was immediately greeted in the warmest and

most flattering manner by some half-dozen of his professional

brethren, in token of their gratification at his arrival. The insolvent

gentleman, who had contracted a speculative but imprudent passion

for horsing long stages, which had led to his present embarrassments,

looked extremely well, and was soothing the excitement of his feelings

with shrimps and porter.

The salutation between Mr Weller and his friends was strictly confined

to the freemasonry of the craft; consisting of a jerking round of the

right wrist, and a tossing of the little finger into the air at the same

time. We once knew two famous coachmen (they are dead now, poor

fellows) who were twins, and between whom an unaffected and

devoted attachment existed. They passed each other on the Dover

road, every day, for twenty-four years, never exchanging any other

greeting than this; and yet, when one died, the other pined away, and

soon afterwards followed him!

Vell, George,' said Mr Weller senior, taking off his upper coat, and

seating himself with his accustomed gravity. 'How is it? All right

behind, and full inside?'

All right, old feller,' replied the embarrassed gentleman.

Is the gray mare made over to anybody?' inquired Mr Weller

anxiously. George nodded in the affirmative.

Vell, that's all right,' said Mr Weller. 'Coach taken care on, also?'

Con-signed in a safe quarter,' replied George, wringing the heads off

half a dozen shrimps, and swallowing them without any more ado.

Wery good, wery good,' said Mr Weller. 'Alvays see to the drag ven you

go downhill. Is the vay-bill all clear and straight for'erd?'

The schedule, sir,' said Pell, guessing at Mr Weller's meaning, 'the

schedule is as plain and satisfactory as pen and ink can make it.'

Mr Weller nodded in a manner which bespoke his inward approval of

these arrangements; and then, turning to Mr Pell, said, pointing to his

friend George -

Ven do you take his cloths off?'

Why,' replied Mr Pell, 'he stands third on the opposed list, and I

should think it would be his turn in about half an hour. I told my

clerk to come over and tell us when there was a chance.'

The Pickwick Papers