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Kidnapped!
Where is Oliver?" roared Fagin when the Dodger and Bates returned from the robbery.
Before they could reply, a very loud voice was heard. It was Bill Sikes, one of Fagin's gang men. Beer stains covered his face and his dirty clothes. his shaggy white dog was at his feet.
When Sikes heard about Oliver and the robbery, he cursed at Fagin for letting the boy go along before he was well trained.
"Oliver will blab to the police and get us all into trouble!" Sikes complained.
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| Kidnapped! |
The boy had to be found and brought back, but no member of Fagin's gang wanted to go near the police station. At last they picked on a young woman, Nancy, who often did the gang's dirty work. They ordered her to dress neatly like a woman going to market.
"Where is my little brother?" cried Nancy when she reached the police station.
There are no little boys here, ma'am," answered an officer.
"Where is he then?" she asked, and she began describing what Oliver looked like.
Oliver Will Blab to the Police.....
Oh, he was driven to the home of a gentleman in Pentonville," said the officer.
When Fagin heard this news, he exploded. The boy must be found," he cried, "even if we have to kidnap him. None of us will be safe until he is brought back here!"
Bill Sikes and Nancy met Fagin in a tavern. Fagin whispered some instructions to them and gave them some coins. Then they left. They followed Oliver from Mr. Brownlow's house, and just as the boy was passing the bookstall, they ran up to him.
"Oh, my dear brother, I've found you at last!"
Where Is My Little Brother?.....
Screamed Nancy, throwing her arms around Oliver's neck. "I've been so worried about you! Why did you run away?"
Please Don't Let Them Take Me Away!.....
A crowd gathered to watch them.
"He ran away from his parents, who took such good care of him," Nancy told the people. "He joined a band of robbers and almost broke his dear mother's heart!"
"You naughty child!" scolded one woman. "Go home now and stay out of trouble!" said another.
"I have no parents," Oliver protested. "I am an orphan."
Suddenly Sikes appeared with his dog. "What's going on here?" he shouted. "Go right home, Oliver. Your mother is waiting!"
"Help! Help!" cried the boy to the crowd. "I don't know these people! Please don't let them take me away!"
"Where did you get these books?" demanded Sikes. "I bet you stole them, you rascal!" He grabbed the books from Oliver.
The boy, still weak from his recent illness, was dragged away into the night.
Minutes later, Fagin was emptying Oliver's pockets. "Just look at Oliver's pretty new clothes and his books!" he said. "And what's this? A five-pound note!"
"That money is mine!" growled Sikes.
"No, it's mine!" said Fagin. "You take thee books and sell them!"
If Nancy and I don't get the money, we'll take the boy away again," warned Sikes.
Fagin handed over the money, and Sikes tied the bill in his handkerchief and put it away.
"Don't take the books!" cried Oliver. "They belong to the kind gentleman who took care of me when I had the fever. Keep me here forever if you have to, but return the money and the books, or the gentleman will think I stole them!"
"Shut up, Oliver, or I'll set the dog on you! said Sikes angrily.
"You won't set that dog against the child!" screeched Nancy, as she ran to put her arms around Oliver. "You'll have to kill me first!"
Emptying Oliver's Pockets.....
Fagin turned to Oliver, an evil smile on his face. "So, you tried to get away from us? Tried to get us into trouble? Well make sure you don't call the police again!" With that, Fagin struck Oliver on the shoulders with a club and was about to hit him again when Nancy moved between them.
Fagin Strikes Oliver with a Club.....
"You've got the boy back. Now leave him alone!" she cried. "You made him a thief. Isn't that enough? I stole things for you when I was even younger than Oliver. Now I'm stuck here forever! What more do you want? Leave the boy alone!"
"That's enough, Nancy!" shouted Fagin. Then turning to Bates, he ordered, "Now, Charley take Oliver to bed. And be sure he doesn't wear those fancy new clothes again."