"Oh! I dare say she wrote the letter for some object or another which we can't see," observed Mrs. Bunce. "I scarcely think so," returned Bones: "there was so much seriousness about it." "But she's a precious deep one, depend on it," said Betsy. "Look how she got off about the diamonds. And, after all, perhaps her father had been talking her over; and so, if she wrote to Tom Rain in a serious way, the humour won't last very long." "Well—we shall see," exclaimed Old Death. "I should like to secure her in my interests." "What did you do with the letter she wrote to Tom Rain?" asked Mrs. Bunce. "Put it back into the post," was the reply. "Fancy if Esther and Tom _did_ get together again, and, on comparing notes, he found that the letter from her had miscarried, he might suspect a trick somewhere, and fix foul play on me. No—no: it was more prudent to let the note go, since I had gathered its contents." "Well—perhaps it was," said Mrs. Bunce. "One thing is very clear, Ben——" "What's that, Betsy?" "Why—that since Esther isn't any longer with Mr. Rainford in the Fields, it will be much easier to get the little boy away." "I thought of that just now," said Old Death: then, after a pause, he added, "And I'll tell you what's to be done. The boy most be got into our power to-morrow night." "To-morrow night!" repeated Mrs. Bunce. "Yes—to-morrow night," returned Bones emphatically. "I'll trump up something to get Tom out of the way; and me, Toby, and Jacob, will go over and kidnap the child. If we don't do it quick, the Jewess will be getting spooney on Tom again and going back to live with him in spite of her oath to her father; and then we may not find such another chance for some time to come." Mrs. Bunce smiled an approval of this scheme, and was about to offer a comment, when a knock summoned her to the front-door. She shortly returned to the back-room, followed by Jacob. "What news?" demanded Old Death. "I found out where the Jewess lives," was the lad's answer; and he named the address in Great Ormond Street. "Good!" exclaimed Bones. "That shows why she has her letters sent to Southampton Row;—it is close by; and as she's known in the neighbourhood, she posts her answers at another place. But give Jacob his supper—and brew me some grog, Betsy." While Mrs. Bunce was busily employed in executing these orders, another knock at the front-door was heard. Jacob hastened to answer it, and returned with a letter directed to "MR. TOBY BUNCE;" but which, having a peculiar mark placed somewhere amidst the writing, was instantly discovered by Old Death to be intended for himself. He accordingly opened it, and read as follows:—