“When shall I come to see you, Mr. Boffin.”

“When you like. The sooner the better. I must be going now. Good night, Venus.”

“Good night, sir.”

“And good night to the rest of the present company,” said Mr. Boffin, glancing round the shop. “They make a queer show, Venus, and I should like to be better acquainted with them some day. Good night, Venus, good night! Thankee, Venus, thankee, Venus!” With that he jogged out into the street, and jogged upon his homeward way.

“Now, I wonder,” he meditated as he went along, nursing his stick, “whether it can be, that Venus is setting himself to get the better of Wegg? Whether it can be, that he means, when I have bought Wegg out, to have me all to himself and to pick me clean to the bones!”