SEWER RATS. 
185 
self. The master of the dog was veiy anxious the 
rats should be as small as possible ; and, on the other hand, 
his opponent wished them to be as large as possible. ISow 
here was a dilemma, which to any one else but Jem would 
have been perplexing, but not so with him, for he had his 
own way of acting what he called " honourable to all 
parties that is to say, he served those best who paid him 
best. Therefore, before leaving, he secretly asked the backer 
of the rats what he was to do, as the other gentleman had 
given him a sovereign to get the rats small. Do," said the 
gentleman, at the same time putting another sovereign into 
his hand ; there now, get some of the largest sewer-rats you 
can find." "All right, Sir," said Jem, and away he went, 
resolving, that as one gentleman had given him one sovereign, 
and the other two, there should be two dozen of the largest 
sewer-rats he could find, and one dozen of small, or rather 
barn-rats, and that was what he called " acting honourable 
to all parties." 
However, upon arriving at the Custom-house he gave 
Jack a sovereign, to get boiled beef and pease-pudding 
enough for three, with plenty of vegetables, and two gallons 
of the best ale, in order to have, as he said, ^' a jolly blow-out 
over beating the Peeler." He then dived into the sewers 
after Jumper, while Jack went about his business. 
Sufiice it to say, that Jem had not been long under ground 
before he and J umper were seated on their rat-cages, and 
settling the legality of the point in dispute, namely, their 
sovereign right to perambulate the sewers at pleasure. " I 
told the magistrate," said Jem, ''that I was a master 
rat-catcher, an' that Jack was my man. ' Your worship,' says 
I, ' I've been at this kind of work for years, an' was never 
interrupted before. I catch rats for sporting gentlemen 
both at the east and west end of London ; but Jack 's only 
been nine months in the profession, and pretty clever he is, 
your worship, considering. However, your worship, we never 
injure the walls; an when we come across the commissioners' 
men underground, neither they nor the commissioners ever 
interfere with us. Now, your worship, what I want to 
know is this, — what right had this man, with a shiny hat 
and tin buttons, to take us and the rats into custody, when 
we were coming quietly out of the trap, and interfering with 
