In front of a barber's shop, and after a word or two to his dog, which

quietly seated itself outside, he entered. Now Lieutenant Thornhill,

for such was the gentleman's name, was a brave man; but, brave as he

was, a slight feeling of uneasiness crept over him as he gazed upon

the face of Sweeney Todd, the barber, who, with upraised hand,

appeared in the act of striking a boy who was crouched in the corner.

The ferocious look of Sweeney Todd at that moment was indeed

appalling, but it was instantly changed into a smile on perceiving the

stranger.

"Shaved, sir. Yes, sir. Excuse me, sir. I was endeavouring to impress

upon this boy how much better it would be for his future welfare if he

were to take pattern by me, and devote his few spare hours in reading

the Bible. Take a seat, sir?"

Thornhill seated himself in a large armchair, Todd stropping his

razor, and darting his serpent like orbs on his customer.

"One minute, sir;" said Todd, with a bland smile. "You appear to be

somewhat bronzed. From abroad sir?"

"Yes. I have just arrived from India. By-the-bye, can you inform me

where a person named Oakley, a spectacle maker, resides? it is

somewhere in this neighbourhood. I have a small packet which has been

Intrusted [sic] to me to deliver to one of the family."

Todd's eyes sparkled.

"Sir, you could not have asked a better person than myself. I do know

where Oakley lives; it is in Fore-street, a little shop with two

windows." Then turning to the boy, he said:

"Dear me, Tobias, I really had forgotten you. Here, dear boy, take

twopence, go to Mrs. Lovett's and buy two of those nice pies for

yourself. Don't hurry. Say half-an-hour." The boy timidly withdrew.

Thornhill mildly reminded Sweeney Todd that he wished to be shaved.

"Certainly, sir. Polish you off in no time. But, as your beard is so

strong, I'll just step into the next room for another razor."

He did so. A slight, creaking sound was heard--

The chair was vacant.

Thornhill had disappeared.

Then followed a loud barking and scratching at the door. Todd, with

ghastly face, peered over the shop-blind, and, perceiving the dog,

seized a stout cudgel, with the intention of inflicting summary

Vengeance; and opening the door for that purpose he was instantly

capsized by the noble animal, who bounded into the shop.

The dog, after sniffing in every hole and corner, set up a dismal

howl. Todd, who had in the meantime fastened himself in his room,

staggered back in terror as he saw the dog seize Thornhill's hat and

rush out with it into the street.

CHAPTER III.

The earliest dawn of morning was glistening on the masts, the cordage,

and sails of a fleet of vessels lying below Sheerness.

Over the taffrail of one, in particular, a large-sized merchantman,

which had been trading in the Indian seas, two men were leaning. One

of them was the captain of the vessel, and the other a passenger,

Colonel Jeffery, who intended leaving that morning. They were engaged

In earnest conversation, and the captain, as he shaded his eyes with

his hand, and looked along the surface of the river, said, in reply to

some observation of his companion:

"I'll order my boat the moment Lieutenant Thornhill comes on board. I

call him lieutenant, although I have no right to do so, because he has

held that rank in the King's service, but when young, was cashiered

for fighting a duel with his superior officer."

"The service has lost a good officer," said the other.

"It has, indeed. I [illegible] what keeps him. He went last night, and

said he would pull up to the Temple stairs, because he wanted to call

on somebody by the waterside; and after that he was going to the City

to transact some business of his own, and that would have brought him

nearer here, you see."

"He's coming," said the other.

"What makes you think that?"

"Because I see his dog. There, don't you see, swimming in the water

towards the ship."

"I cannot imagine--I can see the dog, certainly--but I can't see

Thornhill; nor is there any boat at hand. I know not what to make of