"Plenty," said Jared, "certainly; but I don't think you would like to part with any one of them." "Oh! how can you!" ejaculated Mrs Jared; and she quite shivered at the thought. "And I never saw you obliged to make chest-warmers for them because they were delicate, or compelled to get cod-liver oil for them because they were thin and weak, and--" "Oh! don't talk so, pray," exclaimed Mrs Jared. "That poor child! it gives me the heartache to see her, when Ruggles brings her with him. I'd give almost anything to have the poor little thing here for the short time she's for this world." "Think she's so bad as that?" said Jared. "Oh! yes; her poor little bones show so dreadfully. I don't think she's neglected, for Ruggles is too good-hearted for that; but that horrid woman would almost keep her from getting well. Now, if we had her with ours, and--" "Didn't you say the collector called to-day?" said Jared. "Yes," said his wife;--"had her here with ours, and Patty and I attended well to her, she might get through the winter, and--what did you say?" "I didn't speak," said Jared. "I was only thinking about the rent." "And, besides," said Mrs Jared, "as she is so young--" "How much would a pair of boots cost for Totty?" said Jared. "Really, it is too bad!" exclaimed Mrs Jared; "and I can't help thinking about the poor little thing." "And how well and hearty our own are, even if we are poor," said Jared. So Mrs Jared sighed, and contrived to put a patch on the side of Totty's boots, and they lasted another week. Volume 2, Chapter VII. BETWEEN FRIENDS. For quite a month, as far as the vicar could tell, the poor-boxes had rest, and Mr Timson's ears were not so much troubled with the objectionable money texts. Divers games of cribbage were played, and divers pipes and glasses of gin-and-water enjoyed, as the late robberies were discussed. During these discussions the vicar would enlighten his crony upon the subject of the various plans he had adopted to see whether the boxes had been opened. The matter was also freely discussed at Purkis's and Ruggles's, as well as at Duplex Street; the same verdict being arrived at in each house-- namely, that it was very strange. Mrs Purkis thought she could fit the cap on the right head if she had to do with the matter, and Mr Purkis told her to hold her tongue. Mrs Ruggles, too, gave a sidewise look at her husband, and told him that it was not her business, but she could give a very shrewd guess at the culprit; though, when pressed on the subject, she only nipped her lips very tightly, and said, "Never mind." As for Mrs Jared, she only declared it to be very sad, and then the matter was allowed to drop. The vicar, too, seemed to have almost forgotten the matter, until one morning when he hurried into Mr Timson's counting-house, looking so much put out that the churchwarden directly guessed what was the matter, and before his friend could say a word, exclaimed-- "You don't mean it, sir?"