Chapter L

How Mr Pickwick Sped Upon His Mission, And How He Was

Reinforced In The Outset By A Most Unexpected Auxiliary

The horses were put to, punctually at a quarter before nine next

morning, and Mr Pickwick and Sam Weller having each taken his

seat, the one inside and the other out, the postillion was duly directed

to repair in the first instance to Mr Bob Sawyer's house, for the

purpose of taking up Mr Benjamin Allen.

It was with feelings of no small astonishment, when the carriage drew

up before the door with the red lamp, and the very legible inscription

of 'Sawyer, late Nockemorf,' that Mr Pickwick saw, on popping his

head out of the coach window, the boy in the gray livery very busily

employed in putting up the shutters - the which, being an unusual

and an unbusinesslike proceeding at that hour of the morning, at

once suggested to his mind two inferences: the one, that some good

friend and patient of Mr Bob Sawyer's was dead; the other, that Mr

Bob Sawyer himself was bankrupt.

What is the matter?' said Mr Pickwick to the boy.

Nothing's the matter, Sir,' replied the boy, expanding his mouth to the

whole breadth of his countenance.

All right, all right!' cried Bob Sawyer, suddenly appearing at the door,

with a small leathern knapsack, limp and dirty, in one hand, and a

rough coat and shawl thrown over the other arm. 'I'm going, old

fellow.'

You!' exclaimed Mr Pickwick.

Yes,' replied Bob Sawyer, 'and a regular expedition we'll make of it.

Here, Sam! Look out!' Thus briefly bespeaking Mr Weller's attention,

Mr Bob Sawyer jerked the leathern knapsack into the dickey, where it

was immediately stowed away, under the seat, by Sam, who regarded

the proceeding with great admiration. This done, Mr Bob Sawyer, with

the assistance of the boy, forcibly worked himself into the rough coat,

which was a few sizes too small for him, and then advancing to the

coach window, thrust in his head, and laughed boisterously. 'What a

start it is, isn't it?' cried Bob, wiping the tears out of his eyes, with one

of the cuffs of the rough coat.

'My dear Sir,' said Mr Pickwick, with some embarrassment, 'I had no

idea of your accompanying us.'

The Pickwick Papers