“Not a countryman among’em; and I don’t think he’d take you even on my recommendation if he didn’t run rather short of assistants just now,” replied the Jew.

“Should I have to hand over?” said Noah, slapping his breeches-pocket.

“It couldn’t possibly be done without,” replied Fagin, in a most decided manner.

“Twenty pound, though,—it’s a lot of money!”

“Not when it’s in a note you can’t ged rid of,” retorted Fagin. “Number and date taken, I suppose; payment stopped at the Bank? Ah! It’s not worth much to him; it’ll have to go abroad, and he couldn’t sell it for a great deal in the market.”

“When could I see him?” asked Noah doubtfully.

“To-morrow morning,” replied the Jew.

“Where?”

“Here.”