This was the man that Mr Pickwick looked at through his spectacles (luckily, he had been able to get these back again), and when his friends had finished thanking him, Mr Pickwick started to say a few well-chosen words to show how grateful he was for the help he had been given.

'Never mind,' said the stranger, interrupting Mr Pickwick's speech almost before he had started. 'You have said enough - say no more; that cabman - he used his fists well; but if I'd been your friend in the green coat - damn me - I would punch his head, I would - the pieman's too - and no nonsense about it.'

This speech was interrupted by the arrival of the driver of the coach to Rochester, who announced that 'the Commodore' was about to start its journey.

'The Commodore!' said the stranger, jumping up, ' that's my coach, the one outside - I have a seat on it - I will leave you to pay for the brandy-and-water - I don't have change - I picked up some counterfeit money - can't use that, eh?' and he shook his head to show that he knew he should not have accepted the bad money, but he had, anyway. Mr Pickwick and his three companions had decided to stop first at Rochester as well; so they told their new friend that they were travelling to the same city. They agreed that they would take the seat at the back of the coach, where they could all sit together.