Now, young un! said Sikes surlily, looking up at the clock of St. Andrews church, hard upon seven! you must step out. Come, dont lag behind already, Lazy-legs!
Mr. Sikes accompanied this speech with a fierce jerk at his little companions wrist; and Oliver, quickening his pace into a kind of trot, between a fast walk and a run, kept up with the rapid strides of the housebreaker as well as he could.
They kept on their course at this rate until they had passed Hyde Park corner, and were on their way to Kensington, when Sikes relaxed his pace until an empty cart which was at some little distance behind, came up: when, seeing Hounslow written upon it, he asked the driver, with as much civility as he could assume, if he would give them a lift as far as Isleworth.
Jump up, said the man. Is that your boy?
Yes; hes my boy, replied Sikes, looking hard at Oliver, and putting his hand abstractedly into the pocket where the pistol was.
Your father walks rather too quick for you, dont he, my man? inquired the driver, seeing that Oliver was out of breath.
Not a bit of it, replied Sikes, interposing. Hes used to it. Here, take hold of my hand, Ned. In with you!
Thus addressing Oliver, he helped him into the cart; and the driver, pointing to a heap of sacks, told him to lie down there, and rest himself.
As they passed the different milestones, Oliver wondered more and more where his companion meant to take him. Kensington, Hammersmith, Chiswick, Kew Bridge, Brentford, were all passed; and yet they kept on as steadily as if they had only begun their journey. At length they came to a public-house called the Coach and Horses, a little way beyond which another road appeared to turn off. And here the cart stopped.
Sikes dismounted with great precipitation, holding Oliver by the hand all the while; and, lifting him down directly, bestowed a furious look upon him, and rapped the side-pocket with his fist in a very significant manner.
Good-bye, boy, said the man.
Hes sulky, replied Sikes, giving him a shake; hes sulky, a young dog! Dont mind him.
Not I! rejoined the other, getting into his cart. Its a fine day, after all. And he drove away.
Sikes waited till he had fairly gone, and then, telling Oliver he might look about him if he wanted, once again led him forward on his journey.
They turned round to the left a short way past the public-house, and then, taking a right-hand road, walked on for a long time, passing many large gardens and gentlemens houses on both sides of the way, and stopping for nothing but a little beer, until they reached a town, in which, against the wall of a house, Oliver saw written up in pretty large letters, Hampton. Here they lingered about in the fields for some hours. At length, they came back into the town, and keeping on, past a public-house which bore the sign of the Red Lion, and by the river-side for a short distance, they came to an old public-house with a defaced sign-board, and ordered some dinner by the kitchen
fire.
The kitchen was an old, low-roofed room, with a great beam across the middle of the ceiling, and benches with high backs to them by the fire, on which were seated several rough men in smock-frocks, drinking and smoking. They took no notice of Oliver, and very little of Sikes; and, as Sikes took very little notice of them, he and his young comrade sat in a corner by themselves, without being much troubled by the company.
They had some cold meat for dinner, and sat here so long after it, while Mr. Sikes indulged himself with three or four pipes, that Oliver began to feel quite certain they were not going any further. Being much tired with the walk and getting up so early, he dozed a little at first, and then, quite overpowered by fatigue and the fumes of the tobacco, fell fast asleep.
It was quite dark when he was awakened by a push from Sikes. Rousing himself sufficiently to sit up and look about him, he found that worthy in close fellowship and communication with a labouring man, over a pint of ale.
So, youre going on to Lower Halliford, are you? inquired Sikes.
Yes, I am, replied the man, who seemed a little the worse or better, as the case might be for drinking; and not slow about it neither. My horse hasnt got a load behind him going back, as he had coming up in the mornin, and he wont be long a-doing of it. Heres luck to him! Ecod! hes a good un!
Could you give my boy and me a lift as far as there? demanded Sikes, pushing the ale towards his new friend.
If youre going directly, I can, replied the man, looking out of the pot. Are you going to Halliford?
Going on to Shepperton, replied Sikes.
Im your man as far as I go, replied the other. Is all paid, Becky?
Yes, the other gentlemans paid, replied the girl.
I say! said the man, with tipsy gravity, that wont do, you know.
Why not? rejoined Sikes. Youre a-going to accommodate us, and wots to prevent my standing treat for a pint or so, in return?
The stranger reflected upon this argument with a very profound face, and having done so, seized Sikes by the hand, and declared he was a real good fellow. To which Mr. Sikes replied, he was joking; as if he had been sober, there would have been strong reason to suppose he was.