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"All them was here yesterday."

"But there was wud here yesterday, who is dot here dow?"

"With all my heart!"

"Very good. But perhaps you cad tell be where to fidd hib?"

"Don't bother. How should I know where to find him?"

"Do you thidk it likely that they cad tell be?"

"Ax."

"Why, you surly, low bred, ill codditioded—"

"Silence! or I puts you out of the office!"

Tom looked at him contemptuously from head to foot and up again, and said something about his being a nice man he didn't think; but, as one of the reporters at the moment left the box, Tom turned from the fellow to address him.

"A reporter," said he, "was here yesterday whob I dod't see id the office to-day. Cad you tell be where to fidd hib?"

"What paper is he connected with?"

"He reports for seved papers, he told us."

"Seven! You are the gentleman, I believe, who was yesterday in the witness-box?"

"I ab."

"I thought so. But there was no person connected with seven papers here!"

"He certaidly told us seved."

"What was his object in speaking to you on the subject?"

"Why, he cabe to the carriage-door to idquire if we were adxious to have ady portiod of the report suppressed, add as by goverdor thought that that dodsedce bight as well be left out, the fellow offered to suppress it for two sovereigds."

"But of course you didn't give him the two sovereigns?"

"The goverdor did! He gave hib two sovereigds to leave out the lot, add thed the wretch put it all id!"

"I see," said the reporter, smiling. "But he had nothing whatever to do with it. He is not a regular reporter: he is one of those scamps who attend inquests and police-courts, expressly in order to obtain money by pretending to have the power to insert or to suppress what they please."

"The adibal!" cried Tom. "I should like to see hib dow!"

"I wish you could point him out to me. I'd have him before the magistrate at once. But he'll not be here to-day: you may depend upon that. Perhaps in a week, when he imagines that you have given him up, he may be here again."

"Thed I'll look id about this day week, add if I should see hib—"

"Point him out to me."

Tom promised that he would do so, and left the office; and, on reaching home, proceeded to explain to the doctor how completely he had been victimised.

"I've beed to Bow-street this bordidg," said he, "to look after that literary swell."

"And have you seen him?" inquired the doctor.