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Come, retorted Quilp, lets have no more of this! Do you mean to say that you dont know they went away by stealth, as soon as it was light this morning? No, said the boy, in evident surprise. You dont know that? cried Quilp. Dont I know that you were hanging about the house the other night, like a thief, eh? Werent you told then? No, replied the boy. You were not? said Quilp. What were you told then; what were you talking about? Kit, who knew no particular reason why he should keep the matter secret now, related the purpose for which he had come on that occasion, and the proposal he had made. Oh! said the dwarf after a little consideration. Then, I think theyll come to you yet. Do you think they will? cried Kit eagerly. Ay, I think they will, returned the dwarf. Now, when they do, let me know; dye hear? Let me know, and Ill give you something. I want to do em a kindness, and I cant do em a kindness unless I know where they are. You hear what I say? Kit might have returned some answer which would not have been agreeable to his irascible questioner, if the boy from the wharf, who had been skulking about the room in search of anything that might have been left about by accident, had not happened to cry, Heres a bird! Whats to be done with this? Wring its neck, rejoined Quilp. Oh no, dont do that, said Kit, stepping forward. Give it to me. Oh yes, I dare say, cried the other boy. Come! You let the cage alone, and let me wring its neck, will you? He said I was to do it. You let the cage alone will you. Give it here, give it to me, you dogs, roared Quilp. Fight for it, you dogs, or Ill wring its neck myself! Without further persuasion, the two boys fell upon each other tooth and nail, while Quilp, holding up the cage in one hand, and chopping the ground with his knife in an ecstasy, urged them on by his taunts and cries to fight more fiercely. They were a pretty equal match, and rolled about together, exchanging blows which were by no means childs play, until at length Kit, planting a well-directed hit on his adversarys chest, disengaged himself, sprang nimbly up, and snatching the cage from Quilps hands made off with his prize. He did not stop once until he reached home, where his bleeding face occasioned great consternation, and caused the elder child to howl dreadfully. Goodness gracious, Kit, what is the matter, what have you been doing? cried Mrs Nubbles. Never you mind, mother, answered her son, wiping his face on the jack-towel behind the door. Im not hurt, dont you be afraid for me. Ive been a fightin for a bird and won him, thats all. Hold your noise, little Jacob. I never see such a naughty boy in all my days! You have been fighting for a bird! exclaimed his mother. Ah! Fightin for a bird! replied Kit, and here he isMiss Nellys bird, mother, that they was a goin to wring the neck of! I stopped that thoughha ha ha! They wouldnt wring his neck and me by, no no. It wouldnt do, mother, it wouldnt do at all. Ha ha ha! |
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