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drew their chairs closer together。
“I heerd it now； quite apparent；” resumed Mr。 Giles。
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“‘Somebody；’ I says； ‘is forcing of a door； or window； what’s to be
done？ I’ll call up that poor lad； Brittles； and save him from being
murdered in his bed； or his throat；’ I says； ‘may be cut； from his
right ear to his left； without his ever knowing it’。”
Here； all eyes were turned upon Brittles； who fixed his upon the
speaker； and stared at him； with his mouth wide open； and his face
expressive of the most unmitigated horror。
“I tossed off the clothes；” said Giles； throwing away the tablecloth； and looking very hard at the cook and housemaid； “got softly
out of bed； drew on a pair of—”
“Ladies present； Mr。 Giles；” murmured the tinker。
“Of shoes； sir；” said Giles； turning upon him； and laying great
emphasis on the word； “seized the loaded pistol that always goes
upstairs with the plate…basket； and walked on tiptoes to his room。
‘Brittles；’ I says； when I had woke him； ‘don’t be frightened！’”
“So you did；” observed Brittles； in a low voice。
“‘We’re dead men； I think； Brittles；’ I says；” continued Giles；
“‘but don’t be frightened。’”
“Was he frightened？” asked the cook。
“Not a bit of it；” replied Mr。 Giles。 “He was as firm—ah！ pretty
near as firm as I was。”
“I should have died at once； I’m sure； if it had been me；”
observed the housemaid。
“You’re a woman；” retorted Brittles； plucking up a little。
“Brittles is right；” said Mr。 Giles； nodding his head approvingly；
“from a woman； nothing else was to be expected。 We； being men；
took a dark lantern that was standing on Brittles’s hob； and
groped our way downstairs in the pitch dark—as it might be so。”
Mr。 Giles had risen from his seat； and taken two steps with his
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eyes shut； to accompany his description with appropriate action；
when he started violently； in common with the rest of the
company； and hurried back to his chair。 The cook and housemaid
screamed。
“It was a knock；” said Mr。 Giles； assuming perfect serenity。
“Open the door； somebody。”
Nobody moved。
“It seems a strange sort of a thing； a knock coming at such a
time in the morning；” said Mr。 Giles； surveying the pale faces
which surrounded him； and looking very blank himself； “but the
door must be opened。 Do you hear； somebody？”
Mr。 Giles； as he spoke； looked at Brittles； but that young man；
being naturally modest； probably considered himself nobody； and
so held that the inquiry could not have any application to him； at
all events； he tendered no reply。 Mr。 Giles directed an appealing
glance at the tinker； but he had suddenly fallen asleep。 The
women were out of the question。
“If Brittles would rather open the door； in the presence of
witnesses；” said Mr。 Giles； after a short silence； “I am ready to
make one。”
“So am I；” said the tinker； waking up； as suddenly as he had
fallen asleep。
Brittles capitulated on these terms； and the party being
somewhat reassured by the discovery （made on throwing open the
shutters） that it was now broad day； took their way upstairs； with
the dogs in front； and the two women； who were afraid to stay
below； bringing up the rear。 By the advice of Mr。 Giles； they all
talked very loud； to warn any evil…disposed person outside； that
they were strong in numbers； and by a master…stroke of policy；
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originating in the brain of the same ingenious gentleman； the
dogs’ tails were well pinched； in the hall； to make them bark
savagely。
These precautions having been taken； Mr。 Giles held on fast by
the tinker’s arm （to prevent his running away； as he pleasantly
said）； and gave the word of command to open the door。 Brittles
obeyed； the group； peeping timorously over each other’s
shoulders； beheld no more formidable object than poor little
Oliver Twist； speechless and exhausted； who raised his heavy eyes；
and mutely solicited their compassion。
“A boy！” exclaimed Mr。 Giles； valiantly pushing the tinker into
the background。 “What’s the matter with the Eh？—Why—
Brittles—look here—don’t you know？”
Brittles； who had got behind the door to open it； no sooner saw
Oliver； than he uttered a loud cry。 Mr。 Giles； seizing the boy by one
leg and one arm （fortunately not the broken limb） lugged him
straight into the hall； and deposited him at full length on the floor
thereof。
“Here he is！” bawled Giles； calling； in a state of great
excitement； up the staircase； “here’s one of the thieves； ma’am！
Here’s a thief； miss！ Wounded； miss！ I shot him； miss； and Brittles
held the light。”
“In a lantern； miss；” cried Brittles； applying one hand to the
side of his mouth； so that his voice might travel the better。
The two women…servants ran upstairs to carry the intelligence
that Mr。 Giles had captured a robber； and the tinker busied
himself in endeavouring to restore Oliver； lest he should die before
he could be hanged。 In the midst of all this noise and commotion
there was heard a sweet female voice； which quelled it in an
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instant。
“Giles！” whispered the voice from the stair…head。
“I’m here； miss；” replied Mr。 Giles。 “Don’t be frightened； miss； I
ain’t much injured。 He didn’t make a very desperate resistance；
miss！ I was soon too many for him。”
“Hush！” replied the young lady； “you frighten my aunt as much
as the thieves did。 Is the poor creature much hurt？”
“Wounded desperate； miss；” replied Giles； with indescribable
complacency。
“He looks as if he was a…going； miss；” bawled Brittles； in the
same manner as before。 “Wouldn’t you like to come and look at
him； miss； in case he should ？”
“Hush； pray； there’s a good man！” rejoined the lady。 “Wait
quietly only one instant； while I speak to aunt。”
With a footstep as soft and gentle as the voice； the speaker
tripped away。 She soon returned； with the direction that the
wounded person was to be carried； carefully； upstairs to Mr。
Giles’s room； and that Brittles was to saddle the pony and betake
himself instantly to Chertsey； from which place； he was to
despatch； with all speed； a constable and doctor。
“But won’t you take one look at him first； miss？” asked Mr。
Giles； with as much pride as if Oliver were some bird of rare
plumage； that he had skilfully brought down。 “Not one little peep；
miss？”
“Not now； for the world；” replied the young lady。 “Poor fellow！
Oh！ treat him kindly； Giles； for my sake！”
The old servant looked up at the speaker； as she turned away；
with a glance as proud and admiring as if she had been his own
child。 Then； bending over Oliver； he helped to carry him upstairs；
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with the care and solicitude of a woman。
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