Mr Weller shook his head, and his red cheeks expanded with the

laughter that was endeavouring to find a vent.

Mottled-faced man, p'raps?' asked Sam.

Again Mr Weller shook his head.

Who then?'asked Sam.

Your mother-in-law,' said Mr Weller; and it was lucky he did say it, or

his cheeks must inevitably have cracked, from their most unnatural

distension.

Your mother - in - law, Sammy,' said Mr Weller, 'and the red-nosed

man, my boy; and the red-nosed man. Ho! ho! ho!'

With this, Mr Weller launched into convulsions of laughter, while Sam

regarded him with a broad grin gradually over- spreading his whole

countenance.

'They've come to have a little serious talk with you, Samivel,' said Mr

Weller, wiping his eyes. 'Don't let out nothin' about the unnat'ral

creditor, Sammy.'

Wot, don't they know who it is?' inquired Sam.

Not a bit on it,' replied his father.

Vere are they?' said Sam, reciprocating all the old gentleman's grins.

In the snuggery,' rejoined Mr Weller. 'Catch the red-nosed man a-goin'

anyvere but vere the liquors is; not he, Samivel, not he. Ve'd a wery

pleasant ride along the road from the Markis this mornin', Sammy,'

said Mr Weller, when he felt himself equal to the task of speaking in

an articulate manner. 'I drove the old piebald in that 'ere little shay-

cart as belonged to your mother-in-law's first wenter, into vich a

harm-cheer wos lifted for the shepherd; and I'm blessed,' said Mr

Weller, with a look of deep scorn - 'I'm blessed if they didn't bring a

portable flight o' steps out into the road a-front o' our door for him, to

get up by.'

'You don't mean that?' said Sam.

'I do mean that, Sammy,' replied his father, 'and I vish you could ha'

seen how tight he held on by the sides wen he did get up, as if he wos

afeerd o' being precipitayted down full six foot, and dashed into a

million hatoms. He tumbled in at last, however, and avay ve vent; and

The Pickwick Papers