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and you wouldn't have enough. Pay it off! Sponge it! That's the only way to pay it off."

"What, and let them as has scraped a little money together suffer?"

"Don't your ideas fructify? Wouldn't it be better for them afterwards?"

"I don't see that."

"Not see it! As true as I'm alive, you're as blind as the rest. Don't you see that we should then have an equal division?"

"Would the money I've got in the Savings' Bank be divided amongst them as hasn't got none?"

"All, I tell you, would be equally divided."

"Then I won't vote for that."

"What, not to have a share of the millions upon millions which the pauper aristocracy have got?"

"It won't do," said Pokey; "I shouldn't be sure of that."

"Not sure of it! What's to prevent it?"

"Many things might. I say many things might. And 'a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.'"

"Pokey, Pokey, I'm sorry to find you're a boney fide ignoramus still."

"I don't care a button about what you say: I mean to look after my money."

"You mean to look after your money! Why you've no more patriotism in you than the ghost. By the bye, I mean to look after that swell to-night. I've made up my mind to that. I know who he is."

"What! do you?"

"I know the gentleman."

"What! isn't it a ghost, then, after all?"

"A ghost! Not a bit of it. No, it's a man."

"Indeed! Is it any one I know?"

"Oh yes! you know him very well."

"Who is he?"

"Why, I didn't intend to say until I'd caught him; but I don't mind telling you. It's Bob Potts."

"Bob Potts! Lor, is it though? Bob Potts. Blow him, he's always up to something. But how do you know?"

"Oh! I know all about it; but don't say a word. If it should come to his ears that I know him, he'll of course keep at home: therefore, don't say a syllable to any living soul."

"Not a word. Trust to me. I'll not open my lips."

"I'll cook the green goose of Mr. Bob Potts. I only want to catch him; and when I do, he won't play the game of 'ghost' again in a hurry. He's been carrying it on long enough; and if I don't place him in a juxtaposition to make him ashamed of himself all his life, I'll eat grass, like a cow; therefore, mum!"

Pokey again promised to be silent on the subject; and when Obadiah had explained to him the delicate minutia of the scheme he had conceived, they parted on the most affectionate terms to meet again, with the view of ensnaring Bob Potts.