The lodger that rents the room in the Brass house is a man named Bevis Marks. The one time he will come out of his room is whenever he hears a Punch show going on. He will then run to the show, and afterwards he will invite the puppeteers up for a drink. This proves to be a bit of a nuisance, for the crowd follows them back as well. They make a lot of noise, wanting another show. Sampson Brass doesn’t want to lose his lodger, so he resorts to harassing the crowd in a variety of ways: pouring water on them, throwing tile at them, or having a driver run through them.
Bevis Marks finally becomes acquainted with Short and Tommy Codlin. He inquires about their travels, and they tell him they stick mainly to the Western part of England. Tommy states he is the one that suffers the most, though he isn’t one to complain. Short says Tommy is useful, though sometimes he can’t keep his eyes open—just like he couldn’t at the last races. The two men get into a quarrel. Tommy says he can’t keep his eyes in twenty directions at once, and neither can Short.
They decide to drop the matter, thinking it will bore their host. However, Bevis Marks is very interested. He tells them that he is looking for the grandfather and child, and it is worth their while to share their information. Short says he always knew there were people looking for them, and Tommy says that Nell always considered him to be her true friend. Marks is disappointed that they don’t seem to know anything more about the two since they left the races. He wishes he had never found them, because he had been hopeful—and now he is even more disappointed.
Short says that Jerry the dog trainer saw the grandfather traveling with a waxwork show. He says Jerry will arrive in town tomorrow, and he will be lodging at the same house they are. Marks gives them each a sovereign and orders them to bring Jerry to him—promising more money if the info leads to discovering the whereabouts of the girl and her grandfather. He asks for their address. After they leave, he paces in agitation—making Dick Swiveller and Sally Brass wondering what is going on.