Oliver's first job(4)

 

Oliver tore the meat to pieces with his teeth as if he werea wild animal. Mrs Sowerberry watched him in silent horror, already thinking about her future food bills ,then took him upstairs to the shop.

 

'Youll slep here , among the coffins' she said.

Oliver atared around the dark, airless shop ap the coffins, some finished, some only half-made. He trembled at the thought of ghosts. His bed was a small hole in the floor, and looked very like a grave.

 

But it was not only the room that depressed Oliver. He felt very lonely, with no friends and no one to care for him . As a he lay on the bed , he found nimself wishing that it really was his grave.

 

The next morning he was woken up by someone kickingat the shop door.

 

'Open the door, will you?' shouted a voice through the keyhole

'Yes,sir.'

 

'I suppose you'se the new boy,' said the voice through the keyhole. 'How old are you?'

 

'Ten, sir.'

 

'Then I'll hit you when I get in ,' said the voice

 

Oliver was experienced enough to know that the promise was probably true . He opened the door with a shaking hand, then looked up and down the street. All he cold see was a large boy wearing the uniform of one of the charity schools, where the children of the very poor rsed to go.