Author's Note: The things that the boys steal when showing Kathryn how to pickpocket are the same things we used when I was in Oliver!.

Chapter Three: The Gang

"'ere my dear," said Fagin, "you jus' sit righ' 'ere and we will show you your job, alrigh'?"

Kathryn sat down on the stool that Fagin pushed up to the table for her and got ready for the show. Fagin started singing and the boys followed. While they were singing, the boys picked various things out of Fagin's many pockets: a wallet, a spectacle case, a silver pocket watch, Fagin's underwear, and a snuff box. To Kathryn's amazement, the boys seemed to do all of this without Fagin noticing!

Soon they were finished with their little performance and Fagin came over to Kathryn. Lifting her off her stool, Fagin said, "You see my dear? It's not tha' 'ard. Come and see if you can do it!"

Kathryn followed Fagin to the middle of the floor where he showed her the only pocket that the boys hadn't picked. In it, there was a corner of a pocket handkerchief sticking out. "See 'ere my dear," said Fagin, "I wan' you to see if you can take this handkerchief ou' o' my pocket without me feelin' it."

Kathryn started taking violent lunges at the pocket with the handkerchief in it while Fagin calmly walked around in circles. Suddenly, she stopped and thought about how all of the other boys had done it; they hadn't lunged or made any sudden movements. Remembering this, she tried to do exactly what she had seen them do.

To her amazement, when she tried to be as stealthy and subtle as possible, she had the handkerchief out in minutes. Holding it proudly in her hand, Kathryn showed it to Fagin and the boys.

Kathryn was a bit surprised that she had done so well on her first try. It seemed as if the rest of the gang was surprised too because they were all speechless; even Dodger.

The silence lasted for a good five minutes before anyone spoke. Fagin was the first, "My dear," he said quietly, "you are-have-" he was lost for words. Finally, he decided the best thing was to get them all to bed. Everyone groaned on complained until Fagin told them that he would sing again if they didn't get to bed right away. Every boy rushed off to his own sleeping corner.

"Please, sir," said Kathryn a bit nervously, "where do I sleep?"

"Ah," said Fagin, "you can sleep righ' over by Dodger. Is tha' alrigh'?"

"Yes sir." Kathryn answered as she gave him a quick curtsy. Oh no! she thought, I curtsied like a girl! I hope he didn't notice.

As it turned out, Fagin had not noticed. He was too busy checking that all of the boys were fast asleep.

Kathryn walked nervously over to where Fagin had told her to sleep; by Dodger. She surveyed the space where both of them were supposed to sleep. Dodger was positioned about three feet from the wall where the only window in the entire room was located. A torn curtain of rags was hanging from the ceiling for their privacy. The floor was dusty and extremely dirty. Kathryn wanted to take the old broom from the other side of the room and sweep until all of the dust was gone. She was startled from her observance by Dodger speaking, "You can sleep

'ere me mate," he said, indicating the space between himself and the window.

"Thank you Dodger," she said quietly.

"An' you'll be needing blankets too, no doubt."

"Yes, please."

"Follow me, mate, an' I'll show you where we keep the blankets." Dodger said as he stood up and began to walk across the room. Kathryn followed cautiously.

Fagin was sitting at the large table in the middle of the room with a very old box. When he saw Kathryn and Dodger, he jumped up and snapped the lid of his box closed. "My dears," he said with a forced-calm voice, "wha' can be keeping you up this late?"

"'ere Fagin, you forgo' to get Alexander a blanket. We've come to ge' 'er one."

"I'm sorry my dear," Fagin said to Kathryn, "tha' I forgo' to ge' you a blanket. You jus' go with Dodger and he'll take care o' you." This was already what Kathryn was doing but she acknowledged him anyway.

I wonder what was in that box? she thought as she and Dodger walked over to a small cabinet where the blankets were kept. Dodger took out three of the nicest blankets and handed them to Kathryn.

"Thank you," she said, looking suspiciously at the very worn and dirty blankets.

"You are mos' welcome," said Dodger with a bow. They walked back across the room where Fagin was still sitting at the table. Kathryn noticed that he had put his box under the table where he had obviously thought that no one could see it. They walked back under the curtain of rags and started to set up Kathryn's bed. Dodger laid one blanket on the floor, rolled one for a pillow, and used the last one as a cover-blanket for warmth. Kathryn watched him do this and when he was done she looked straight into his eyes and said, "Thank you again, Dodger."

"Cer'ainly," said Dodger with another bow. They both laid down on their beds and started to go to sleep. Then Dodger remembered something: he hadn't asked Kathryn her background story. He decided to ask her right then as he thought it would make a lovely bedtime story. "Alexander," he said, "do you think you could tell me 'ow you came to London? I love a good bedtime story and I would be forever gra'eful to you."

"Of course," said Kathryn kindly. After all, he had helped her with her bed. She should repay him. Deciding to start from when she was sold to the workhouse, she told him her whole story; only changing the fact that she was a girl.

When she finished, Kathryn looked over at Dodger and found him fast asleep. She sighed as she lay down on her own bed. I wonder what my new life will be like? she thought, I hope I do well on my first job-outing tomorrow. With that, she fell into a peaceful sleep.