Are you here?" asked he of the old woman, as he entered, mentioning the cant words by which, among friends, Tom and Pepper were usually known. "Yes," replied the old woman, "one on the shores tonight," replied the old woman, handing a candle to the face of the speaker with an intelligent look; "Oliver is sleepy, and the lads will take advantage of this nap."

"Do you mean," answered Clifford, replying in the same key, which we take the liberty to paraphrase, "that they are out on any actual expedition?"

"To be sure," rejoined the dame. "They who lag late on the road may want money for supper!"

"Ha! which road?"

"You are a pretty fellow for a captain!" rejoined the dame, with a good-natured sarcasm in her tone. "Why, Captain Gloak, poor fellow! knew every turn of his men to a hair, and never needed to ask what they were about. Ah, he was a fellow! None of your girl-faced mudgers, who make love to ladies, forsooth — a pretty woman need not look far for a kiss when he was in the room, I warrant, however coarse her duds might be; and lo! but the captain was a sensible man, and liked a cow as well as a calf."

So, so! On the road, are they?" cried Clifford, musingly, and without heeding the insinuated attack on his decorum. "But answer me, what is the plan? — Be quick."

"Why," replied the dame, "there's some swell cove of a lord gives a blow-out today, and the lads, dear souls, think to play a queer one on some straggler."

Without uttering a word, Clifford darted from the house, and was remounted before the old lady had time to recover her surprise. 