618 A DINNER AT POPLAR WALK. 



printer's name, he heard a loud knock at the street door, which was 

 shortly afterwards followed by the entrance of his servant, who put 

 into his hand a particularly small card, on which was engraved, in 

 immense letters, " JWr. (Sctabtug 33ag$i)ato, AMELIA COTTAGE (Mrs. 

 B.'s name was Amelia), Poplar Walk, Stamford Hill." 



" Bagshaw !" ejaculated Minns, " what the deuce can bring that 

 vulgar fellow here ? Say I am asleep say I've broken my leg 

 any thing." 



" But, please, Sir, the gentleman 's coming up," replied the ser- 

 vant: and the fact was made perfectly evident by an appalling 

 creaking of boots on the staircase, accompanied by a pattering noise, 

 the cause of which Minns could not for the life of him divine. 



" Hem ! show the gentleman in," said he, in a state of desperation. 

 Exit servant, and enter Octavius, preceded by a large white dog, 

 dressed in a suit of fleecy-hosiery, with pink eyes, large ears, and no 

 perceptible tail. The cause of the pattering on the stairs was now 

 but too plain. If it be possible for a man to entertain a feeling of the 

 most deep-rooted and unconquerable aversion to any one thing, Minns 

 entertained this feeling towards an animal of the canine species. This, 

 by the way, was hinted before. 



ff My dear fellow, how are you ?" said Mr. Bagshaw, as he entered. 

 (He always spoke at the top of his voice, and always said the same 

 thing half-a-dozen times.) " How are you, my hearty ?" 



" How do you do, Mr. Bagshaw ? Pray, take a chair/' politely 

 stammered the discomfited Minns. 



" Thank you, thank you. Well, how are you, eh?" 



" Uncommonly well, thank ye," said Minns, casting a diabolical 

 look at the dog, who, with his hind-legs on the floor, and his fore- 

 paws resting on the table, was dragging a bit of bread-and-butter out 

 of a plate, which, in the ordinary course of things, it was natural to 

 suppose he would eat with the buttered side next the carpet. 



" Ah, you rogue !" said Bagshaw to his dog. " You see, Minns, 

 he's like me, always at home : eh, my boy ! Egad, I'm precious hot 

 and hungry ! I've walked all the way from Stamford Hill, this 

 morning." 



" Have you breakfasted ?" ejaculated Minns. 



" Oh, no!" returned Bagshaw. "Oh, no! Came to town to 

 breakfast with you; so, ring the bell, my dear fellow, will you? 

 and let's have another cup and saucer, and the cold ham. Make my- 

 self at home, you see !" he continued, dusting his boots with a table 

 napkin. " Ha ! ha ! ha ! 'Pon my life, I'm hungry !" 



Minns rang the bell, and tried to smile, but looked as merry as a 

 farthing rushlight in a fog. 



" I decidedly never was so hot in my life," continued Octavius, 

 wiping his forehead. " Well, but how are you, Minns ? 'Pon my 

 soul, you wear capitally !" 



" Humph ! 'dye think so?" 



" Ton my life, I do !" 



tf Mrs. B. and what's his name quite well ?" 



" Alick, my son, you mean. Never better never better. But 

 such a place as we've got at Poplar Walk ! you know. It certainly is 



