the Grinder, glancing at Alice, who sat with her eyes fixed, as it seemed to him, on the wall behind him, but in reality on Mr. Dombey's face at the door, `and wishing her the same and many of 'em!'

He drained the glass to these two sentiments, and set it down.

`Well, I say, Misses Brown!' he proceeded. `To go on a little rational now. You're a judge of birds, and up to their ways, as I know to my cost.'

`Cost!' repeated Mrs. Brown.

`Satisfaction, I mean,' returned the Grinder. `How you do take up a cove, Misses Brown! You've put it all out of my head again.'

`Judge of birds, Robby,' suggested the old woman.

`Ah!' said the Grinder. `Well, I've got to take care of this parrot--certain things being sold, and a certain establishment broke up--and as I don't want no notice took at present, I wish you'd attend to her for a week or so, and give her board and lodging, will you? If I must come backwards and forwards,' mused the Grinder with a dejected face, `I may as well have something to come for.'

`Something to come for?' screamed the old woman.

`Besides you, I mean, Misses Brown,' returned the craven Rob. `Not that I want any inducement but yourself, Misses Brown, I'm sure. Don't begin again, for goodness' sake.'

`He don't care for me! He don't care for me, as I care for him!' cried Mrs. Brown, lifting up her skinny hands. `But I'll take care of his bird.'

`Take good care of it too, you know, Mrs. Brown,' said Rob, shaking his head. `If you was so much as to stroke its feathers once the wrong way, I believe it would be found out.'

`Ah, so sharp as that, Rob?' said Mrs. Brown, quickly.

`Sharp, Misses Brown!' repeated Rob. `But this is not to be talked about.'

Checking himself abruptly, and not without a fearful glance across the room, rob filled the glass again, and having slowly emptied it, shook his head, and began to draw his fingers across and across the wires of the parrot's cage by way of a diversion from the dangerous theme that had just been broached.

The old woman eyed him slily, and hitching her chair nearer his, and looking in at the parrot, who came down from the gilded dome at her call, said:

`Out of place now, Robby?'

`Never you mind, Misses Brown,' returned the Grinder, shortly.

`Board wages, perhaps, Rob?' said Mrs. Brown.

`Pretty Polly!' said the Grinder.

The old woman darted a glance at him that might have warned him to consider his ears in danger, but it was his turn to look in at the parrot now, and however expressive his imagination may have made her angry scowl, it was unseen by his bodily eyes.

`I wonder Master didn't take you with him, Rob,' said the old woman, in a wheedling voice, but with increased malignity of aspect.