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boy an idea．That huge place！ Nobody， not even Mr Bumble， could ever find him the re！He had heard old men in the workhouse say it was a good place for brave boys，and that the re was always work the re for those that wanted it．It would be the best place for him．He jumped to his feet and walked forward again．
But after only four miles he began to realize just how far he would have to walk． He stopped to think about it． He had a piece of bread， a rough shirt， two pairs of socks and a penny。 But he could not see how the se would help him get to London any faster， so he continued walking．
He walked twenty miles that day． The only thing he had to eat was his piece of bread and some water which he begged from houses near the road。 He slept the first night in a field，feeling lonely， tired， cold and hungry。 He was even hungrier the next morning when he woke up， and he had to buy some more bread with his penny．That day he walked only twelve miles． His legs were so weak that They shook beneath him．
The next day he tried to beg for money， but large signs in some villages warned him that anyone caught begging would be sent to prison。 Travellers on the road refused to give him money； They said he was a lazy young dog and didn’t deserve anything。 Farmers threatened to send their dogs after him．When he waited outside pubs，the pub－owners chased him away because They thought he had come to steal something．Only two people were kind enough to feed him： an old woman and a gate－keeper on the road。 If They had not given him some food， he surely would have died like his mother。
Early on the seventh morning of his journey， O liver finally reached the little town of Barnet，just outside London。 Exhausted，he sat down at the side of the road。 His feet were bleeding and he was covered in dust． He was too tired even to beg．The n he noticed that a boy， who had passed him a few minutes before，had returned， and was now looking at him carefully from the opposite side of the road． After a long time the boy crossed the road and said to O liver，
‘Hello！ What’s the matter the n？’
The boy was about O liver’s age， but was one of the strangest…looking people he had ever seen。 He had a dirty，ordinary boy’s face， but he behaved as if he were an adult． He was short for his age and had little， sharp，ugly eyes。 His hat was stuck on top of his head but it looked as though it would blow off at any minute． He wore a man’s coat which reached almost down to his feet， with sleeves so long that his hands were completely covered。
‘I’m very tired and hungry，’answered O liver， almost crying． ‘I’ve been walking for a week．’
‘A week！ The magistrate’s order， was it？’
‘The magistrate？What’s that？’
‘A magistrate’s a kind of judge，’explained the surprised young gentleman。 He realized O liver did not have much experience of the world． ‘Never mind that．You want some food，’ he went on。 ‘I haven’t got much money but don’t worry－I’ll pay．’
The boy helped O liver to his feet， and took him to a pub。 Meat， bread， and beer were placed before O liver， and his new friend urged him to satisfy his hunger． While O liver was eating， the strange boy looked at him from time to time with great attention．
‘Going to London？’ he asked him finally．
‘Yes。’
‘Got anywhere to live？’
‘No．’
‘Money？’
‘No．’
The strange boy whistled， and put his arms into his pockets as far as the big coat sleeves would allow him． ‘I suppose you want to sleep somewhere tonight， don’t you？’
‘I do，’ replied O liver． ‘I haven’t slept under a roof since I started my journey．’
‘Well， don’t worry．I’ve got to be in London tonight， and I know a very nice old gentleman the re who’ll let you live in his place and not even ask you for money！’
O liver was deeply grateful for this offer of shelter and talked for a long time with his new friend． His name was Jack Dawkins， but he was usually called ‘The Artful Dodger’． ‘Artful’ because he was very clever at getting what he wanted；and ‘Dodger’ because he was very good at not getting caught when he did something wrong．When he heard this，O liver felt rather doubtful about having such a friend．However，he wanted first to meet the kind old gentleman in London，who would help him．After that，he could decide whether to continue the friendship with the Artful Dodger．
4 O liver in London
For some reason the Dodger did not want to enter London during daylight，so it was nearly eleven o’clock at night when They got near the centre。 O liver had never seen a dirtier or more miserable place。 The streets in this district were narrow and muddy， and the re were terrible smells everywhere。 Children wandered around even at this time of night，in and out of the many shops，playing and screaming．The pubs were full of people fighting，and big，evil－looking men stood in doorways or at dark corners． O liver almost wanted to run away， but just the n the Dodger pushed open a door and pulled O liver into a dark hall。
‘Who’s the re？’ a voice cried out．
‘It’s me，’ said the Dodger． The faint light of a candle appeared in the hall．
‘Who’s the other one？’
‘A new friend。 ‘
They went up some dark and broken stairs．O liver could hardly see where he was going，but the Dodger seemed to know the way， and helped O liver up。 They entered a room with walls that were black with age and dirt．In front of the fire was a table with a candle stuck into a bottle of beer， and an old man， with a horribly ugly face and red hair， stood next to the fire cooking。 He was wearing a dirty old coat and seemed to divide his attention between his cooking and a number of silk handkerchieves， which were hanging near the fire．The re were several rough beds in the room．Four or five boys， about the same age as the Artful Dodger， sat round the table， smoking and drinking like middle…aged men．They all looked up when the Dodger and O liver entered．
‘This is him，Fagin，’ the Dodger said to the old man． ‘My friend O liver Twist．’
Fagin smiled and shook O liver’s hand．The n all The young gentlemen came up to him and shook both his hands very hard， especially the hand which held his few possessions。 One of the boys was particularly kind．He even put his hands in O liver’s pockets so that O liver would not have to empty the m himself when he went to bed．The boys would probably have been even more helpful， but Fagin hit the m on their heads and shoulders until They left O liver alone．
‘We’re very glad to see you，O liver，’said Fagin。 ‘I see you’re staring at the handkerchieves， my dear．Aren’t the re a lot？We’ve just taken the m all out to wash the m， that’s all！Ha！ Ha！ Ha！’
This seemed to be a joke， as the old gentleman and all his young friends gave loud shouts of laughter。 The n supper began。 O liver ate his share of the food and was the n given a glass of gin…and…water．Fagin told him to drink it fast．Immediately afterwards，O liver felt himself lifted onto one of the beds and he sank i