'What's all this about, Sam?' asked one of the cab drivers.

'What's it about?' replied the cabman, 'Why did he want the number of my cab?'

'I didn't want your number,' said the astonished Mr Pickwick.'

What did you take it for, then?' asked the cabbie.

'I didn't take it,' said Mr Pickwick in surprise.

'Can you believe it,' said the cab-driver, talking to the crowd who were watching, 'that a spy for the government or the city council would go about in a man's cab. This spy didn't only take my cab number, but he wrote down every word I said as well.' (Suddenly Mr Pickwick understood - it was because he had been writing in his note-book that he had upset the cabbie).

'Did he do that?' asked another cabman.

'Yes, he did,' replied Sam; 'and now he is trying to get me angry so that I will fight him. He's got three people here to prove what I've done. But I'll get him, if I go to prison for six months for it. Come on!' and the cabman threw his hat to the ground. He was so angry that he didn't care that he was damaging his own property. Then he knocked Mr Pickwick's spectacles off.

After this attack, he hit Mr Pickwick on the nose, and again on his chest. A third punch hit Mr Snodgrass's eye, and a fourth, just for a change, hit Mr Tupman's waistcoat. The cabbie jumped into the road, and then back again to the pavement.

Finally he knocked all the breath out of Mr Winkle's body with another punch. The whole thing lasted six seconds from the start to the finish.