 was indeed Mr. Dawkins, who, shuffling into the office with the big coat
sleeves tucked up as usual, his left hand in his pocket, and his hat in his
right hand, preceded the jailer, with a rolling gait altogether indescribable,
and, taking his place in the dock, requested in an audible voice to know what he
was placed in that 'ere disgraceful sitivation for.
    »Hold your tongue, will you?« said the jailer.
    »I'm an Englishman, ain't I?« rejoined the Dodger. »Where are my
priwileges?«
    »You'll get your privileges soon enough,« retorted the jailer, »and pepper
with 'em.«
    »We'll see wot the Secretary of State for the Home Affairs has got to say to
the beaks, if I don't,« replied Mr. Dawkins. »Now then! Wot is this here
business? I shall thank the madg'strates to dispose of this here little affair,
and not to keep me while they read the paper, for I've got an appointment with a
genelman in the City, and as I'm a man of my word and wery punctual in business
matters, he'll go away if I ain't there to my time, and then pr'aps there won't
be an action for damage against them as kep me away. Oh no, certainly not!«
    At this point, the Dodger, with a show of being very particular with a view
to proceedings to be had thereafter, desired the jailer to communicate »the
names of them two files as was on the bench.« Which so tickled the spectators,
that they laughed almost as heartily as Master Bates could have done if he had
heard the request.
    »Silence there!« cried the jailer.
    »What is this?« inquired one of the magistrates.
    »A pick-pocketing case, your worship.«
    »Has the boy ever been here before?«
    »He ought to have been, a many times,« replied the jailer. »He has been
pretty well everywhere else. I know him well, your worship.«
    »Oh! you know me, do you?« cried the Artful, making a note of the statement.
»Wery good. That's a case of deformation of character, any way.«
    Here there was another laugh, and another cry of silence.
    »Now then, where are the witnesses?« said the clerk.
    »Ah! that's right,« added
