Straitlace was versed sufficiently in human character to discern that the prattling landlord was made of squeezable materials, and so he urged his questions and entreaties until he had won his point, and the landlord undertook to conduct him to "Jinks's hiding hole." Threading an alley in one of the dingiest streets in the town, they wound through several crooked passages, and arrived at a paltry-looking small square. From a corner of this dirty and half-ruined quadrangle, the landlord advanced along a path that could scarcely be supposed to lead to a human dwelling. It was what is designated a "twitchel" in the midland counties, being barely wide enough to admit one person at a time,—and was the boundary line of two rows of buildings, the eaves of which overhung it, and rendered the passage as gloomy as if it were scarcely yet twilight. Straitlace scrambled with difficulty after his conductor, and over the heaps of cinders, broken pots, and oyster and muscle shells which lay along this dark tract; and when they came to the end of it, and had descended half-a-dozen stone steps, they arrived at what looked like the door of a cellar. Here the landlord shook his fist at Straitlace, and compressed his features, as a signal for his companion to keep strict silence. He then tapped, very gently, at the door; but, though he repeated his timid knock, no one answered. "Jinks! Jinks! I say," he whispered through the key-hole, after he had knocked the third time. "Who's there?" said a sharp, angry voice. "It's only me, Jinks:—I want to speak t' ye," answered the landlord. "You lie, Jemmy Jolter:—there's more than you only," retorted Jinks, with a snarl so sudden and crabbed that it flung the other entirely off his guard. "Well—but—but," Jemmy stammered; "this person wants to see you about that youth that was with you this morning, Jinks, and——" "Whew! Jemmy Jolter, you've let it out again," replied the strange voice within: "get home, ye long-tongued fool, get home! what fool is that beside ye to employ such a sieve to carry water?" "Oh, very well, Jinks," said the weak landlord, turning round in dudgeon: "a time may come when you may want a good turn doing, you know." "I'll let you in, by yourself, Jemmy, if you like," said the keeper of this questionable garrison, fearful of losing the good offices of the landlord; "or I'll admit that verjuice-faced fellow who stands beside you, with the white apron round him." The outer party here looked at each other with some alarm, on finding they were each seen so plainly by one who was to them invisible. "You don't think I shall advise a respectable man and a stranger to come into such a den as yours, alone,—do ye, Jinks?" said the other, in a voice of displeasure.