The captain saw no objection.

Again she paused. No one broke the silence.

‘First let ME say, if you please.—Noggs!’

Nicholas murmured something—he knew not what—in reply; and the little boys, dividing their gaze between the mug, the bread and butter (which had by this time arrived), and every morsel which Mr Squeers took into his mouth, remained with strained eyes in torments of expectation.