It is unnecessary to explain the meaning of this frightfully transparent sentence, which signifies at once killing, assassinating, and robbing. The real meaning of "to eat" is "to devour". "We must get into hiding," said Brujon. "We will understand each other in three words, and then seperate at once. There was an affair that seemed good in the Rue Plumet,--a deserted street; an isolated house; old rust-eaten railings looking on a garden, and lone women." "Well, why not try it?" Thénardier asked. "Your daughter Éponine went to look at the thing," Babet answered. "And has told Magnon it is 'a biscuit,'" Brujon added; "there's nothing to be done here." "The girl's no fool," said Thénardier; "still we must see." "Yes, yes," Brujon remarked; "we must see." Not one of the men seemed to notice Gavroche, who, during this colloquy, was sitting on one of the posts. He waited some minutes, perhaps in the hope that his father would turn to him, and then put on his shoes again, saying,-- "Is it all over? You men don't want me any more, I suppose, as I've got you out of the scrape? I'm off, for I must go and wake my cubs." And he went off. The five men left the enclosure in turn. When Gavroche had disappeared round the corner of the Rue des Ballets, Babet took Thénardier on one side. "Do you notice that kid?" he asked him. "What kid?" "The one who climbed up the wall and handed you the rope." "Not particularly." "Well, I don't know; but I fancy it's your son." "Bah!" said Thénardier; "do you think so?" BOOK VII. SLANG. CHAPTER I. THE ORIGIN OF SLANG.